Los Angeles County Farm Cemetery
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Los Angeles County Farm Cemetery

Downey, Los Angeles County, California, USA

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  • Get directions Northwest corner of Garfield Avenue and Gardendale Street
    Downey, California, USA
    Coordinates: 33.92356, -118.16946
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The Los Angeles County Farm opened in late November, 1888 near Downey, California on about 124 acres of land, eventually growing to almost 600 acres. The "inmates" were the elderly, the disabled, the physically and mentally ill. Most were from other states or foreign countries. They had come to California seeking their fortunes or to regain their health. When they became ill and destitute they had no family support system to fall back on and had to turn to the county government for help. The farm provided shelter, good food, medical care and the possibility of recovering and making a new start. Though no longer a farm, the facility's work continues as the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, a world famous medical rehabilitation hospital.

The cemetery was located in the extreme southwest corner of the property on slightly more than 2 acres. It was in use until the winter of 1914. At that time the nearby Los Angeles and Rio Hondo rivers flooded the area due to heavy rains. Stories are told of pine coffins being washed out of their graves and disappearing. There is no certainty that this happened, but when the cemetery was exhumed in 1946 many of the graves were empty. It is not known where the remains were reburied. Since then, part of the site has been occupied by the American Legion Hollydale Post. The rest remains an empty lot.
The Los Angeles County Farm opened in late November, 1888 near Downey, California on about 124 acres of land, eventually growing to almost 600 acres. The "inmates" were the elderly, the disabled, the physically and mentally ill. Most were from other states or foreign countries. They had come to California seeking their fortunes or to regain their health. When they became ill and destitute they had no family support system to fall back on and had to turn to the county government for help. The farm provided shelter, good food, medical care and the possibility of recovering and making a new start. Though no longer a farm, the facility's work continues as the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, a world famous medical rehabilitation hospital.

The cemetery was located in the extreme southwest corner of the property on slightly more than 2 acres. It was in use until the winter of 1914. At that time the nearby Los Angeles and Rio Hondo rivers flooded the area due to heavy rains. Stories are told of pine coffins being washed out of their graves and disappearing. There is no certainty that this happened, but when the cemetery was exhumed in 1946 many of the graves were empty. It is not known where the remains were reburied. Since then, part of the site has been occupied by the American Legion Hollydale Post. The rest remains an empty lot.

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  • Added: 28 Apr 2018
  • Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2664801