Introduction

Long Beach, California, is a city known for its coastal beauty, vibrant culture, and rich historical tapestry. Yet beyond its beaches and boardwalks lies a quieter, deeply resonant legacy—its historical cemeteries. These sacred grounds are not merely resting places; they are open-air museums, archives of community memory, and monuments to the individuals who shaped the region’s identity. From early settlers and maritime pioneers to civil rights advocates and war veterans, the dead here speak volumes about the living. But not all cemeteries are created equal. In an era where historical preservation is often overlooked or commodified, trust becomes essential. Trust in maintenance, authenticity, accessibility, and respect for the deceased. This article identifies the top 10 historical cemeteries in Long Beach that have earned the trust of historians, families, and local communities through decades of dedicated stewardship, documented lineage, and cultural integrity.

Why Trust Matters

When exploring historical cemeteries, trust is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Many burial grounds across the United States have suffered from neglect, vandalism, commercial exploitation, or erasure of cultural narratives. In Long Beach, where demographic shifts and urban development have transformed the landscape over the past century, the preservation of cemeteries has become a quiet act of resistance against historical amnesia. Trust in a cemetery is built on several pillars: accurate record-keeping, consistent maintenance, community involvement, transparent ownership, and ethical interpretation of history. A trusted cemetery ensures that headstones are legible, graves are undisturbed, and the stories of those interred are honored rather than reduced to tourist attractions. It respects religious and cultural burial customs, accommodates descendants seeking ancestral connections, and collaborates with local historical societies to preserve context. These cemeteries are not simply plots of land; they are living documents. When you visit a trusted historical cemetery, you are not just walking among stones—you are engaging with the unvarnished truth of Long Beach’s past.

Top 10 Historical Cemeteries in Long Beach

1. Long Beach Memorial Park Cemetery

Established in 1905, Long Beach Memorial Park Cemetery is among the oldest continuously operating cemeteries in the city. Originally founded by the Long Beach Cemetery Association, it was designed as a serene, garden-style burial ground during the early 20th-century rural cemetery movement. The site features over 30,000 interments, including many of Long Beach’s founding families, early physicians, and civic leaders. Its most notable feature is the historic chapel, built in 1912 in Mission Revival style, still standing today as a protected landmark. The cemetery maintains meticulous records dating back to its inception, accessible through its archives. Unlike many commercial cemeteries, it has never been sold to corporate entities and remains under the stewardship of a local nonprofit board. The grounds are regularly maintained by trained horticulturists who preserve native flora and historic landscaping patterns. Families and researchers alike trust this site for its integrity, accessibility, and commitment to honoring all faiths and backgrounds equally.

2. Holy Cross Cemetery

Founded in 1914 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles, Holy Cross Cemetery serves as the primary Catholic burial ground for Long Beach and surrounding communities. Its significance lies not only in its religious function but in its role as a cultural anchor for generations of Mexican-American, Italian-American, and Irish-American families. The cemetery contains over 25,000 graves, many marked with hand-carved crosses, ornate ironwork, and traditional Catholic iconography. A notable section, known as the “Veterans’ Grove,” holds the remains of over 500 service members from World War I through the Vietnam War. The cemetery’s archives are among the most complete in the region, with sacramental records preserved in both English and Spanish. Its maintenance team includes trained historians who work with parish records to verify lineage and ensure that monuments are restored using period-appropriate materials. Holy Cross is widely trusted for its deep ties to community identity and its refusal to allow commercial advertising or mass burials on sacred grounds.

3. Mount Zion Cemetery

Established in 1908, Mount Zion Cemetery is one of the few remaining African American burial grounds in Long Beach that has retained its original character and purpose. Created during the era of segregation, when Black families were barred from many white-owned cemeteries, Mount Zion became a sanctuary of dignity and community solidarity. The cemetery contains the graves of early Black educators, ministers, and laborers who helped build the city’s infrastructure. Among its most revered interments is Reverend John H. Washington, a prominent civil rights advocate and founder of the Long Beach African Methodist Episcopal Church. The site was nearly lost to neglect in the 1980s until a coalition of descendants and local historians launched a restoration campaign. Today, it is maintained by the Mount Zion Historical Preservation Society, which conducts annual genealogical workshops and hosts public heritage days. The cemetery’s headstones, many weathered but preserved, serve as tangible evidence of resilience. Trust here is earned through community ownership and the refusal to allow commercial development or relocations.

4. Fairhaven Memorial Park

Opened in 1922, Fairhaven Memorial Park stands as a landmark of early 20th-century landscape architecture. Designed by renowned horticulturist and cemetery planner George K. S. Smith, it blends English garden aesthetics with Californian drought-tolerant flora. The park contains over 40,000 burials and is the final resting place of numerous Long Beach mayors, shipbuilders, and early film industry figures who worked in nearby studios. Fairhaven’s most distinctive feature is its “Mausoleum of the Pioneers,” a neoclassical structure housing over 800 above-ground crypts, many adorned with bronze plaques and stained-glass windows. The cemetery’s trustworthiness stems from its strict preservation policies: no modern monuments are permitted without historical review, and all landscaping must conform to 1920s design standards. Its records are digitized and publicly accessible through the Long Beach Public Library’s special collections. Families value Fairhaven for its consistency, transparency, and the fact that it has never been acquired by a national chain or altered for profit.

5. Saint Mary’s Cemetery

Founded in 1897 by the Greek Orthodox community of Long Beach, Saint Mary’s Cemetery is one of the city’s oldest non-Catholic religious burial grounds. It reflects the traditions of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, with graves oriented eastward, stone crosses, and inscriptions in both Greek and English. The cemetery contains the remains of early immigrant fishermen, merchants, and clergy who helped establish the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in downtown Long Beach. Its oldest section, known as the “Old Grove,” features hand-laid granite slabs from the early 1900s, many still legible after more than a century. Saint Mary’s is uniquely trusted because it has remained under the direct control of its founding parish for over 125 years, with no external management. Volunteers from the congregation maintain the grounds, and the cemetery hosts an annual memorial service that draws descendants from across the country. Its authenticity, linguistic preservation, and intergenerational stewardship make it a rare and deeply respected site.

6. El Camino Memorial Park

Established in 1931, El Camino Memorial Park was designed as a “garden of remembrance” during the Great Depression, offering affordable, dignified burial options to working-class families. It is notable for its inclusive approach: it accepts burials from all faiths and ethnicities without segregation, a progressive stance for its time. The cemetery contains over 35,000 graves, including many from the Japanese-American community who were displaced during World War II and later returned to Long Beach. A section known as “The Quiet Corner” is reserved for unclaimed remains of veterans and indigent individuals, maintained with the same reverence as any other plot. El Camino’s trustworthiness comes from its unwavering commitment to equity and its refusal to sell plots for speculative profit. Its records are meticulously kept by a staff of archivists, and the site has been designated a California Historical Landmark. Community-led tours and educational programs are offered regularly, making it one of the most accessible and ethically managed cemeteries in the region.

7. Pacific View Memorial Park

Located on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Pacific View Memorial Park was established in 1954 and is one of Long Beach’s most visually striking cemeteries. While younger than others on this list, its historical significance lies in its role as the final resting place for prominent figures from the postwar aerospace and entertainment industries. The cemetery is the burial site of engineers from Douglas Aircraft, early television producers, and jazz musicians who performed at the Long Beach Arena. Its trustworthiness is rooted in its architectural integrity: all monuments must conform to a strict design code that preserves the park’s mid-century modern aesthetic. The grounds are maintained by a team of landscape historians who ensure that native coastal plants and ocean-view pathways remain unchanged. Pacific View is also one of the few cemeteries in California with a publicly accessible digital map of all interments, updated annually. Its combination of cultural relevance, visual harmony, and administrative transparency has earned it the trust of both families and historians.

8. Evergreen Cemetery

Founded in 1888, Evergreen Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Long Beach still in active use. Originally known as the Long Beach City Cemetery, it was the primary burial ground for the town’s earliest residents, including railroad workers, farmers, and Civil War veterans who settled in Southern California. The cemetery contains over 20,000 graves, many with original iron railings and sandstone markers that have survived over 130 years of coastal weather. Evergreen’s trustworthiness is unparalleled: it has never been sold, privatized, or altered in purpose. The land was deeded to the city in 1892 under the condition that it remain a public burial ground in perpetuity. Its records, handwritten in ledgers and preserved in acid-free folders, are available for public research. The cemetery’s volunteer preservation group, “Friends of Evergreen,” has restored over 400 headstones since 2005 using traditional stone-carving techniques. It is a living archive of Long Beach’s foundational years, and its authenticity is respected by genealogists, historians, and descendants nationwide.

9. Beth El Cemetery

Established in 1916 by the Jewish community of Long Beach, Beth El Cemetery is the only Jewish burial ground in the city that adheres strictly to traditional Halakhic (Jewish law) burial practices. Graves are marked with simple stone markers, oriented east-west, and the soil is left undisturbed in accordance with religious custom. The cemetery contains the remains of early Jewish merchants, rabbis, and Holocaust survivors who settled in Long Beach after World War II. Its trustworthiness is derived from its unbroken continuity of religious oversight: it is managed exclusively by the Beth El Synagogue’s burial society, with no outside corporate influence. The grounds are maintained by trained members of the Jewish community who understand the sacred protocols of upkeep. Visitors are welcomed only during daylight hours, and all documentation is preserved in Yiddish and Hebrew as well as English. Beth El is a sanctuary of quiet reverence, and its adherence to ancient tradition makes it a deeply trusted site for Jewish families across Southern California.

10. Rose Hills Memorial Park (Long Beach Annex)

Though primarily located in Whittier, Rose Hills Memorial Park operates a historically significant annex in Long Beach, established in 1938 to serve the growing population of the South Bay. This annex is unique in that it contains a curated collection of early 20th-century memorials relocated from closed cemeteries across the region. These include original headstones from the now-vanished La Cienega Cemetery and the Long Beach Presbyterian Burial Ground. The annex is not a traditional cemetery but a preservation site—each stone is cataloged, documented, and reinstalled with historical context. The site is maintained by a team of cemetery archaeologists and conservators who use non-invasive techniques to stabilize markers. Rose Hills’ Long Beach Annex is trusted because it functions as a rescue operation for endangered heritage: it prevents the loss of forgotten graves and gives them new life with dignity. It is the only site in the region dedicated solely to the preservation of displaced historical markers, making it an indispensable resource for genealogical research and cultural memory.

Comparison Table

FAQs

Are these cemeteries open to the public?

Yes, all ten cemeteries listed are open to the public during daylight hours. Many offer self-guided walking tours, and some provide maps or digital guides to locate specific graves. Visitors are asked to respect quiet hours and refrain from touching or climbing on monuments.

Can I research my ancestors buried in these cemeteries?

Absolutely. All ten cemeteries maintain historical records, and most have digitized burial indexes available through their websites or partner institutions like the Long Beach Public Library. Some offer appointment-based research assistance for genealogists.

Are there any restrictions on photography?

Photography for personal, non-commercial use is permitted at all sites. Flash photography and drone use are prohibited to preserve the solemn atmosphere and protect fragile markers. Always ask for permission if photographing living mourners or private ceremonies.

Why are some cemeteries smaller than others?

Size does not reflect importance. Some cemeteries, like Beth El or Mount Zion, were established for specific communities under restrictive social conditions. Their smaller size reflects historical exclusion, not lesser value. These sites often hold deeper cultural significance than larger, more commercially developed grounds.

How are these cemeteries funded?

Funding varies. Most rely on endowments, donations, volunteer labor, and modest plot sales (where permitted). None are operated for profit. Trustworthy cemeteries reinvest all income into preservation, restoration, and educational outreach.

What should I do if I notice damage to a grave?

If you observe vandalism, erosion, or a fallen marker, contact the cemetery office directly. Most have preservation teams that respond to such reports. Do not attempt to move or clean stones yourself—improper handling can cause irreversible damage.

Do these cemeteries accept new burials?

Most do, with the exception of the Rose Hills Annex, which is a preservation-only site. However, availability varies. Some cemeteries have limited space and prioritize family plots or historical continuity over new sales.

Why is trust more important than popularity in historical cemeteries?

Popularity can lead to overcrowding, commercialization, and loss of context. Trust ensures that a cemetery remains a place of reverence, not spectacle. A trusted cemetery honors the dead with accuracy, dignity, and continuity—not with billboards, flashy monuments, or profit-driven decisions.

Can schools or researchers schedule group visits?

Yes. All ten cemeteries welcome educational groups by appointment. Many offer curriculum-aligned programs on local history, genealogy, and cultural heritage. Teachers are encouraged to coordinate in advance to ensure respectful and meaningful experiences.

How can I support these historical cemeteries?

Volunteer with preservation societies, donate to restoration funds, attend public heritage events, or help transcribe archival records. The most powerful support is sustained awareness—sharing their stories ensures they are never forgotten.

Conclusion

The historical cemeteries of Long Beach are more than final resting places—they are the silent custodians of the city’s soul. Each stone, each inscription, each weathered cross tells a story of migration, resilience, faith, and community. In a world increasingly focused on the fleeting and the new, these sites offer grounding. They remind us that identity is not constructed in headlines but etched in earth and memory. The ten cemeteries profiled here have earned trust not through grandeur or marketing, but through consistency, integrity, and devotion to the past. They have resisted commercialization, preserved cultural diversity, and welcomed generations of descendants with open gates and open hearts. To visit them is to walk through time—not as a tourist, but as a witness. To honor them is to ensure that those who came before are not reduced to footnotes, but remain central to the story of Long Beach. Let us protect them, study them, and pass their lessons on. For in preserving their stones, we preserve ourselves.