The Catholic cemetery for
the Petaluma area was established in 1871. When the
Oak Hill Cemetery was closed, the remains of many
Catholics originally buried there were removed to
Calvary. Therefore, some remains may actually date
to the 1850s and 1860s.
Calvary Cemetery has a
large pioneer section with many old markers of
historical interest. Among the many notables buried
here is Fr. James Keily (1871-1968), who supervised
the building in 1927 of the present St. Vincent de
Paul Church in Petaluma.
The cemetery was
operated from the parish until a small portion of
the building used to house tools and equipment was
designated as the office. Eventually a mobile
building was brought in to serve as the office as it
does to this day.
The original Calvary
Cemetery consisted of the “Old Section” that opened
on the street at Cemetery Lane, now called Sycamore
Street. The “newer” portion of the
|