Sonoma State Home Cemetery, Sonoma State Hospital Cemetery
Sonoma County, CA
Submitted by Lori Wicks 14 Sep 2003

**********************************************************************
USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free
information on the Internet, material may be freely used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied
material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file.

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit 
or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations 
desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain 
the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of 
the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of 
this consent.
**********************************************************************

Just south of Glen Ellen, CA. Originally called The California Home for the Care 
and Training of Feebleminded Children. Since 1988, named The Sonoma Developmental 
Center. 1403 inmate bodies were buried and 2 employees. Burials began on May 3, 1892 
and the last burial was on December 9, 1939.  Beginning on February 12, 1940 thru 
January 16, 1960, 500 bodies were cremated and placed in a vault. In 1964, all 
headstones were removed to protect the privacy of the families. Records of the burials 
are retained by the state and are not available for the public. The cemetery is located 
on Orchard Road, Eldridge CA.

Directions: From the city of Sonoma, head north on Highway 12 to Madrone Road. 
Take a left on Madrone Road. Take a right on Arnold Drive. About a mile up you will 
come to the main entrance at Harney Drive. Turn left onto Harney Drive; go up 1 block 
to Sonoma Avenue. The administration building is in front of you. Turn left on Sonoma 
Avenue to the next intersection, which is Wilson Avenue. Turn right on Wilson, past 
the power plant. The road turns into Orchard Road. There is a gate across the road, 
so from here you will have to park your car by the storage facility on the left and 
walk. Walk through the gate up the road, about1/4. The cemetery is located on the 
hillside to the left, after the first curve in the road. Up a short distance, on the 
left side, you will come to an Iron gate. On the left-hand side of the gate is a bronze 
plaque, Cemetery Sonoma State Home 1889 - 1962. I found row markers along the top and 
on the left side. I also came across what looked to be human bones on the hillside to 
the far right. 
			
On the left far side of the cemetery I found 1 headstone. 				
BARHAM, Margaret Nov. 9, 1915 Sept. 28, 1934	

On the right-hand side of the cemetery is a concrete vault with 1 bronze marker. 
There is a birdbath and bench nearby.				

JAN, Roland David 1947 - 1949	In loving memory of