Lafayette, California

February Speaker Series update

Meet the Marquis

Mark your calendar! Our popular Speaker Series will continue on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 when we present “Meet the Marquis: Who was La Fayette and why are we named after him?” presented by Gilbert Sonet, Lafayette resident and La Fayette research expert. Details in January.

Lafayette Cemetery Talk and Tour

Who’s Who in the Lafayette Cemetery! 

Join us at one or both of our October events and find out!

Lafayette’s Cemetery has been a landmark for many years.

Henrietta Hodges died of tuberculosis in 1854 when she was only 13 years old. Unfortunately, there was no cemetery to properly bury young Henrietta.  Medford Gorham permitted her burial on a portion of his land which was adjacent to the Hodges’ homestead.  “It was a pleasing grassy knoll with good drainage and a vista of lovely valleys and hills and hillsides.”

“The route of a road to commence at the road leading from Martinez to the Redwoods at or near the Grave Yard” was the official description given to the main thoroughfare that is now the interchange near Mt.Diablo Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road on January 8, 1856!

Lafayette Cemeterybecame official on October 15, 1874, when Medford Gorham sold four and a half acres of his land for $100 to the newly formed Cemetery Corporation of Lafayette.  By that time many other settlers had been laid to rest there.  John Standish died in 1867 and is buried in the cemetery.  He is a direct descendent of Myles Standish, the Mayflower pilgrim.

Learn more about the history of Lafayette’s cemetery on October 26 from Mary McCosker and Nancy Flood  as part of our speaker’s series – plus take part in our first ever walking tour of Lafayette Cemeteryon October 30.  Attend both events and receive a $5 discount from your requested donation.

Seating is limited for the talk on October 26 and the cemetery grounds can be difficult to navigate because of the unpaved uneven grounds.  For questions or reservations email lafayette.history@comcast.net or call the History Room at (925) 283-1848.

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