View of what is identified as the Pico Family tomb at the Old Calvary Cemetery, located on North Broadway (formerly Buena Vista Street). According to information provided with the image, this plot holds the remains of California Governor Pio Pico, however the inscription is illegible in this print. The 12 acre Catholic cemetery, also known as Buena Vista Street Cemetery, was blessed by Father Thomas Estenaga on November 3, 1844 and formally consecrated in 1866 by Bishop Thaddeus Amat. The cultural diversity of early Angelenos is reflected in the grave inscriptions written in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian. The cemetery, which was closed in the 1880s or 1890s, suffered from years of neglect, as seen here, leaving graves vulnerable to regular desecration and theft. Eventually in the 1920s all remains contained in the cemetery were either reinterred at the New Calvary Cememtery on Whittier Blvd. in East Los Angeles or at other local cemeteries. As for Pio's remains, they were reinterred at El Campo Santo in the City of Industry. Cathedral High School now occupies this site.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.