PARK AND CEMETERY. 
78 
CYPRESS LAWN, SAN FRANCISCO, and its MONUMENTS 
Cypress Lawn, San Francisco’s 
great rural cemetery, whose landscape 
features have previously been de- 
scribed in these pages, has some of 
the most elaborate and imposing me- 
morials found anywhere in America, 
and some of the most careful pro- 
visions for their erection and care. 
Cypress Lawn is at Colma, in San 
Mateo County, ten miles from San 
Francisco, betw'een the Home of 
Peace (Jewish) and the Holy Cross 
(Catholic) Cemeteries. It completes 
a line of cemeteries a mile and a quar- 
ter in length. The San Bruno Moun- 
tains rise immediately to the rear, 
making a picturesque and striking 
scene. The land is rolling and rises 
gently from the county road to the 
rear line of an elevation of one hun- 
dred and seventy-five feet, which in- 
sures good drainage. From each sec- 
tion one gets a good view of the 
whole cemetery. The contour of the 
ground gives the landscape architect 
every chance to make it beautiful, and 
strong effort is made to accomplish 
this end. The soil is of a sandy loam 
about eighteen inches deep, under 
which is hardpan, which enables 
graves to be dug perpendicular, 
smooth and perfectly dry. 
The cemetery is . laid out on the 
lawn plan and every lot is sold with 
the distinct understanding that the 
purchaser will pay thirty-three and 
one-third per cent in addition to the 
cost of the lot to the Cypress Lawn 
Cemetery Association for the perpet- 
ual care of the lot. This money goes 
into a general fund and is invested by 
the trustees, and the interest only of 
the fund is applied to the care of the 
lots. The cemetery is managed by 
nine trustees elected by the lot own- 
ers, each one from a different relig- 
ious denomination or faith, as it is the 
intention to have the cemetery strictly 
non-sectarian. 
The administration structures in- 
clude an elaborate gateway, a conven- 
ient office, a beautiful chapel and re- 
ceiving vault, a crematory, a colum- 
barium, and a large pumping plant. 
There is an artificial lake, supplied by 
artesian wells, and a greenhouse and 
nursery. 
Single graves range in price from 
$15 to $30, with perpetual care, and 
family plots from $75 up, exclusive of 
perpetual care. 
The fee for incineration, including 
plain copper receptacle for the ashes, 
use of chapel, organ service, etc., is 
fifteen dollars. The niches in the co- 
lumbarium range from $25 to $90, 
with 33% per cent for perpetual care 
of the niches and the building. 
No copings or lot enclosures are 
allowed, and the erection of high mon- 
uments is discouraged. 
The planting of roses in groups is 
particularly recommended, for this 
CHAPEL IN CYPRESS LAWN CEMETERY, SAN FRANCISCO. 
