San Luis Obispo County CA Archives Photo Place.....Dorn Memorial, San Luis Obispo 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com November 26, 2006, 6:30 pm

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DORN MEMORIAL South Higuera and Elks Lane, San Luis Obispo

History and Description:

In 1905, Fred Adolphus Dorn, constructed what is probably the most unusual and
original memorial in San Luis Obispo County.  Mr. Dorn was a well-known and
respected attorney in San Luis Obispo during the late 1800's and early 1900's.

In May of 1905 Mrs. Cora Russell Dorn gave birth to a son who died a short time
later.  Three days later Mrs. Dorn died and Mr. Dorn erected a memorial to his
wife and infant son.

It was constructed in late 1905 or early 1906 and is believed to have cost
approximately $75,000 or $100,000 at that time.  The entire monument is
constructed of granite quarried near Porterville, brought to San Luis Obispo and
hand cut to size.  It's location was dictated by the weight of the memorial. 
Its many hundred tons could only be supported by the serpentine rock that exists
in this part of the cemetery.

The memorial holds the cremations of Mr. and Mrs. Dorn and their infant son. 
Because the land is owned and cared for by the Dorn family, it's not known
exactly how many others are entombed in the memorial.  Near the site lie three
additional granite blocks to be used to seal the memorial door whenever the last
member of the Dorn family dies.

Interesting but unfortunate is the fact that no written records exist of the
memorial's history.  The land the memorial is built on is owned by the
descendants of the Dorn family and only they have access to it.  Why the
memorial takes the form of a pyramid is not known for sure, but it is known that
Mr. Dorn was a member of the Free Masons Society.  The following is written by
editor and publisher Myron Angel about the Free Masons Society in 1883 and may
explain the memorial's unusual shape.

Its  spirit is immortal; its wonderful craft is voiced in the towering pyramids
and monumental obelisks of Egypt.  It will live and thrive as long as Mankind
exists.

Sources:
Louisiana Dart, Curator, San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum
William Lovelady, Manager, Oddfellows Cemetery 
History of San Luis Obispo County. Myron Angel


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Discovering San Luis Obispo County
by
Carleton M. Winslow


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