Founder's Rest Traditional Cache
Baron88: Cache along with the old fences are gone.
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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Easy drive up access cache placed to call attention to a notable early eastbay cemetery. Common container and hide. A choice of a couple items for FTF. Please be sure to replace out of sight but retrievable.
San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery
San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery is located at the corner of Hesperian Blvd. and College Street in San Lorenzo. It was the early burial ground for not only San Lorenzo, but also for San Leandro, Hayward, Livermore Valley and the lower reaches of Alameda County. It was non-sectarian, and the first burial of record was April 10, 1853. Probably because of the proximity to the old Union Church there were many early unrecorded burials which were placed in a helter-skelter way with little more planning than taking advantage of an existing shade tree. Consequently, many graves were unidentifiable due to lack of organization.
The Cemetery is located on property that was owned by two pioneer area farmers, John Lewelling and William Meek, the area's largest land owner at that time. As more burials were made, it was evident that an organization to supervise and maintain the property was needed and an organizational meeting was held on February 27, 1864. The objectives were to secure deeds of the landowners, laying out the plots, construction of fences, and proper maintenance of the grounds. This was the charter meeting for the San Lorenzo Cemetery Association.
Shortly after the first meeting, the group asked for public subscriptions to finance the purchase and improvement of the Cemetery. John Lewelling headed the list of 87 subscribers who contributed $637.50. On March 5 1864, the group formally elected its first officers: John Marlin, President; Leonard Stone, Vice President; Henry Symth, Treasurer; and G. Knapp, Secretary. Their first official action was to authorize the purchase of the property from Meek and Lewelling for $500. This was done on March 19, 1864.
At the rear of the Cemetery are several hundred white crosses. These crosses symbolize the graves of the nearly 400 people who were buried in the "Pauper's Graves." Many of these people died in Alameda County hospital or care facilities and were unable to bear the burden of a funeral or had no family to bury them. This area was set aside as a special resting place for them.
The Cemetery rapidly grew in importance and appearance, due mostly to the sale of family plots which cost from $20 to $30 depending on their size and location. As time went on, and generations, died, heirs were difficult to locate, and probably not enough money had been collected for long term maintenance. As a result the Cemetery became unsightly and a haven for vandalism.
The final solution came when the Cemetery was taken over by Alameda County. It is now owned by the County and the volunteer efforts of the Hayward Area Historical Society assist in its maintenance.
The Cemetery was dedication on March 24, 1964 as the San Lorenzo Pioneer Memorial Park, a memorial honoring the early pioneers of Rancho San Lorenzo. Records on those buried in the Cemetery are available at the Hayward Area Historical Society Library.
The gates to the cemetery remain locked for security purposes. Access can be arranging by checking out a key from the San Lorenzo Unified School District Instructional Materials & Technology Center: (510) 317-4754 during the week, or the First Southern Baptist Church: (510) 276-3688 on weekends. Both are located near the cemetery.
(Text above from (visit link)
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(Decrypt)
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