Nearby my home there's a small cemetery that is the burial place for about 200 Mexican and Yaqui farm workers and their families, who lived and worked in the area from 1916 to 1943. The land was owned by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company during the time it raised cotton for the fiber needed for automobile tires.
During the course of time, the cemetery has changed hands many times and is currently owned by a California investment group who bought it on a tax auction. Several community groups volunteer to help clean it up a few times a year.
Plaque on the wall, next to the entrance to the cemetery.
Most of the graves are marked only by a cross made of pipes painted in white. Some have a heart at the center of the cross. Research done by the Pioneers' Cemetery Association identified 182 of the graves; nearly half were babies who died before their first birthday. Some plots appear to still have regular family visitors, as evidenced by the not-yet-faded color of the plastic flowers on some of the graves.
Comments (8)
Great post and photos, Maria. Memorials are sad, but they are good for honoring and remembering.
BTW, few days back I nominated you for Kreativ Blog Award.
http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/candi/2009/05/kreative_blogger_award_1.html
Posted by candi | May 9, 2009 1:33 PM
Posted on May 9, 2009 13:33
I am impressed with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company that they would create a cemetary for its workers. It is nice that it is still kept up. Great photos and choice for this week's photohunt post.
Posted by girasoli | May 9, 2009 5:18 PM
Posted on May 9, 2009 17:18
This is so moving and yet so sad. It tells much as to how immigrant and corporate workers have been treated through the years. I'm amazed that there are still ancestors in the area. I hope it will be preserved.
Posted by Marta | May 9, 2009 9:16 PM
Posted on May 9, 2009 21:16
Hi Maria, very interesting post. It's so sad to see the graves and to know so many were babies. But it is nice to see that volunteers in the community help to care for the cemetary.
Thank you for sharing Maria!
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | May 10, 2009 9:09 AM
Posted on May 10, 2009 09:09
What a fascinating post! How sad to see so many cemetries fall into disrepair. It is great that these groups have taken this one as a project.
Posted by Jerry | May 10, 2009 1:03 PM
Posted on May 10, 2009 13:03
Great post for this week!
I'm a bit behind as I had a trip up to the fabulous Gold Coast for a conference. :)
Posted by Leslie | May 11, 2009 12:26 AM
Posted on May 11, 2009 00:26
What a poignant cemetary. I too am amazed that there are still family members in the area.
And what a wonderful way to spend Mother's Day weekend, mothering two baby kittens! Did you take any photos? Three weeks old is so tiny!
Posted by Annie | May 11, 2009 11:59 AM
Posted on May 11, 2009 11:59
Annie, we took a lot of photos and video, also. I'm waiting for my son to upload the video on youtube and I'll blog about the kittens. They were adorable and already with so much personality.
Posted by María I. | May 11, 2009 6:56 PM
Posted on May 11, 2009 18:56