Lincoln Park Coastal Cypress Forest: The Pioneer Potter's Field

Why is it significant?

Stroll beneath the towering, fragrant canopy of Monterey cypress and eucalyptus trees that blankets the rolling hills of Lincoln Park.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Stroll beneath the towering, fragrant canopy of Monterey cypress and eucalyptus trees that blankets the rolling hills of Lincoln Park. Dedicated as a municipal park in 1909 and named in honor of President Abraham Lincoln, this scenic one-hundred-acre hillside reserve is celebrated today for its public golf course and world-class art museum. However, beneath the manicured fairway turf and forested trails lies a profound, forgotten chapter of San Francisco's pioneer history: between 1868 and 1898, this entire parcel served as the City Cemetery, the city's primary municipal burial ground for the poor and immigrant communities.

Look among the trees to discover subtle stone monuments and grassy mounds. During the late nineteenth century, over twenty thousand individuals were laid to rest here, including indigent residents, sailors, and members of fraternal organizations. One preserved section held the Chinese cemetery, where members of the Six Companies built a ceremonial funerary pavilion that still stands near the museum parking area. When municipal ordinances banned burials within city limits in the early 1900s, wealthier families relocated their dead to Colma, but thousands of unmarked graves remain undisturbed beneath the cypress roots.

In the 1910s, Lincoln Park was selected as the official western terminus of the historic Lincoln Highway, the very first transcontinental paved highway in the United States, spanning 3,389 miles from Times Square in New York City all the way to this clifftop. Generations of travelers, artists, and neighborhood residents have gathered at this very location, inspired by the unforgettable panorama where dramatic coastal wilderness meets monumental human innovation. Generations of travelers, artists, and neighborhood residents have gathered at this very location, inspired by the unforgettable panorama where dramatic coastal wilderness meets monumental human innovation.

Notice the peaceful birdsong in the branches; the cypress trees were planted in the 1890s by city gardeners to create a living green memorial over the pioneer cemetery.

Walk up the grand avenue toward the columned neoclassical palace of the Legion of Honor.