What Happed to Mammoth Lakes’ Pioneer Cemetery?

By Victor Meier

Mary Townsend was accidentally shot by her husband in 1881 and when he buried her he surrounded her grave site with the white picket fence he had always promised her in life.

Mary Townsend is one of Mammoth’s original Pioneers and you can find her grave near the trailhead to Mill City. What has happened to the memory of early Mammoth and the Pioneer Cemetery? In this instance, reality is stranger than fiction. The Mammoth Lakes Museum (also known as the Hayden Cabin) Curator, Mark Davis was reminiscent about the cement Historical Monument (once in existence) that was placed on the edge of Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery. “I know it was placed there sometime in the 1950’s,” said Davis, “and it existed until the 1990’s.” “I have seen pictures of it myself,” Davis continued.

As most know, the Town of Mammoth Lakes was founded as a mining town and hosted three mining camps and therefore many Pioneers/Miners before, during and after the famous California Gold Rush. So what happened to those early Pioneers and Miners who perished during Mammoth’s Golden Era? The average life expectancy in the late 1800s was around 40 years of age and knowing this leads one to ponder the reality of Pioneer life and the reality that there must have been some fatalities in and around the Mammoth Lakes area. Presumably, not every person who perished in Mammoth would be buried in Bridgeport.

This is a vetted fact, substantiated by a working list of those who expired and were buried in Mammoth. The list exists and is supported by archived obituaries of local publications. There are 23 recorded deaths (13 of which are documented and the other 10 were probably unmarked graves) and their burials within the town of Mammoth Lakes between the years of 1877-1882. The area of town now known as The Bluffs is also known to where the Pioneer Cemetery existed and was the burial site for all three mining camps. In this case, Cheif Seattle's advice to "take only memories, leave nothing but footprints" does not apply literally.

The Statutes of the State of California, Political Code; Chapter V. Section 3105; states that the title to lands used as a public cemetery or graveyard, situated in or near to any city, town, or village, and used by the inhabitants thereof continuously, without interruption, as a burial ground for five years, is vested in the inhabitants of such city, town, or village, and the lands must not be used for any other purpose than a public cemetery. Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery was clearly in existence from at least 1877-1882; thus covering the necessary time period established by the law.

In the Hayden Cabin there are readily visible photos of dilapidated grave sites from the 1950’s which are no longer identifiable or seemingly no longer in existence. So, where are their remains of the perished Pioneers of Mammoth Lakes? Where are Mammoth’s Pioneers buried? Were their final resting places moved? If not, then where are their graves? They aren’t in Bridgeport. Certainly they couldn’t be in the same location and merely unidentifiable?

According to a 1965 Land Survey of the “Schotz Parcels”, requested by local Businessman Bob Schotz and conducted in the area of Mammoth Lakes currently known as “The Bluffs” there were provisions made to dedicate one square acre of land to a “Graveyard”. This one acre parcel of land set aside on the southeast end of the Bluffs and was clearly marked “Graveyard”; a clear distinction that is echoed by another (1966) land survey of the same area (also requested by Schotz). So, the question now is what legally constitutes a “Graveyard”? According to Section 3106 of the California State Law, six or more human bodies being buried in one location affirms the existence of a graveyard. With 23 established inhabitants of Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery and covering a five year period, the statutes have clearly been met

The Mammoth Museum has two “headstones” or rather, two wooded grave markers, which were retrieved from Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery and preserved by Bob Schotz in the 1940s (when they were last identifiable) and donated to the Mammoth Museum. One marker reads, “Isabelle-Infant Daughter of Eli and Katie Schweiger, August 23 – September 12 1879.” The other reads, “James Fahy, August 14, 1840 – August 9, 1879.” According to Mr. Davis, “Fahy was a bartender in Mill City (a former Mammoth subdivision) who was shot by one of two patrons who had a disagreement in the bar he (Mr. Fahy) was working in. Mr. Fahy later died of an infection from his gunshot wound. Originally they thought he would survive,” continued Davis.

The story of Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery and its potential for not only uncovering significant information about the History of Mammoth Lakes and its potential for uncovering scandal within the civic leadership of the Town of Mammoth Lakes is uncanny. This fact alone is a compelling enough reason to care about Mammoth’s Pioneer Cemetery. Why is it that there is a planned development being solicited directly where the Pioneer Cemetery once existed?

How is this even possible? Where a historical monument once existed from the 1950s until the 1990s is a proposed location for a private home. Skirting the issue of reverence and history; who would want to live on top of an old cemetery? Do they plan to take the Craig T. Nelson approach in the movie Poltergeist and just leave the TV outside? This reporter, for one, is just plain curious and confused by these developments. Pun intended.

This is not simply a matter of historical significance and respect. This is a matter of legal importance. Section 3109 of the law states that public cemeteries of cities, towns, villages, or neighborhoods must be enclosed and laid off into lots, and the general management, conduct, and regulation of interments, permits to inter, or remove interred bodies, the disposition of lots and keeping the same in order, is under the jurisdiction and control of the cities and towns owning the same, if incorporated; if not, then under the jurisdiction and control of the board of supervisors of the county in which they are situated. Is it possible that the town leadership could be setting the township up to endure another potential lawsuit?

The citizens of Mammoth Lakes need to know where the bodies of their early pioneers are resting. Examine the fact that potentially lost are the stories of people who have passed on and whose perseverance, toughness, determination and pioneering spirit lead them to help establish the beautiful town of Mammoth Lakes and in turn one of the planet’s premier outdoor playgrounds and pristine natural resources. Then take into consideration that all we have to potentially gain by ignoring the facts are legal ramifications that may only stop at providential redemption. As Hayden Cabin Curator Mark Davis said to me, “This could be some potentially bad karma for the town of Mammoth Lakes.”

So, what’s up now? In 1995 the Mammoth Lakes Planning Commission seeking to make public improvements in The Bluffs area, certified an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) from 1982 by one Jeff Burton. According to Burton’s EIR a recommendation was made that the Pioneer Cemetery (located within The Bluffs) be preserved as a cemetery…as it was…again. That hasn’t bothered William West though. Perhaps Mr. West isn’t bothered about the fact that for generations now the remains of at least twenty-three of Mammoth’s Pioneers have been buried on the lot he purchased. How was he even able to purchase the lot in the first place? These Pioneers have, for the most part, rested in peace for many years and now their graves have been lost, mostly forgotten and unfortunately mostly desecrated. How did civic leadership even get the town into this predicament? Fast forward to the Airport/Hotel debacle and it all makes more sense I guess.

West had requested to develop his land for years. Of course this is his right, if it weren’t for the fact that his land is on a well known cemetery. He pressed and it appears that eventually he got his way. To Mr. West’s credit, he was also open to the idea of selling his cemetery lot back to the Town of Mammoth Lakes, at full market value of course. So, in response and in full acknowledgment of Burton’s report the town suggested that Mr. West have his own EIR conducted. Evidentially historical references, official survey and the original EIR weren’t enough. It appears as if the intention was to find a way to discredit the past.

West along with the town’s approval hired Pacific Legacy to conduct his EIR. Pacific Legacy dug eight random trenches with a backhoe…yes, a backhoe. Needless to say, this is not what one would be accustomed to seeing at an archaeological dig site. Yes, there was a “qualified” Archaeologist on site and overseeing the dig. Yes, he was paid by Mr. West, who coordinated with the town. Yes, scientists who have been paid for their research have a bad track record; case and point, climate change scientist.

Remarkably, the Archaeologist for hire and his scientific dig found no remains to account for the at least twenty-three pioneers known to be buried there. Then the town of Mammoth Lakes under the guidance of Deputy Community Development Director, Bill Taylor and his staff recommended in a letter to the Planning Commission, “that the Commission accept the letter report from Pacific Legacy and find that no further archaeological investigation is required at this time.”

No further archaeological investigation is required at this time? There are local records establishing that this area in question is a cemetery and many of Mammoth’s Pioneers were buried there. The book Old Mammoth refers intimately and directly to the cemetery. Local publications have run a handful of stories about the fact that the cemetery exists. Land surveys corroborate the existence of a graveyard in this very location. Anecdotal information about the Pioneer Cemetery matches the existing artifacts. In the 1950’s a cement monument was placed there by Louis and Joe Serventi along with Fred Brooks and it read, “WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.” These were brave words written by well intending men. However, it appears that those men have, for the most part, come and gone.

Search and Rescue Expert and Cadaver Dog Handler/Trainer, Paul Dostie has taken his specialized cadaver searching dog to the Pioneer Cemetery and has witness his dog alert on many occasions within the lot. “I was curious to see how my dog would react after the soil had been turned over by the backhoe,” said Dostie, “so, I went up there with Dan McConnell and we watched him (the cadaver dog) as he laid down a bunch of times, alerting me to a number of locations of human remains,” Dostie continued. Dostie went on to say that if one were so inclined to look for human remains that it would be hard to establish any such thing other than teeth due to the duration of the burials.

 

The report presented by Pacific Legacy read, “No evidence of soil disturbance, artifacts or human remains was found.” Then, according to the report that Taylor and his staff submitted to the Planning Commission, “The report concluded that no evidence of a graveyard exists on the subject property and no development restrictions related to a graveyard are necessary.” That is extremely convenient for Mr. West and for the Town of Mammoth Lakes for that matter.

The fact is that Anthropology and Archaeology are supposed to work in tandem in order to give us an accurate view of the past. It is often the archived periodicals, letters, journals and personal memoires of those in the past who have helped historians understand the complexities of our forefathers. These facts seem to have been ignored in the pursuit of a more pseudo scientific approach and while ignoring the fact that empirical evidence other than human remains does exist. The most recent information available from the Town of Mammoth Lakes is the report cited from July 2007 and issued by Taylor and his staff. However, articles prior to this one exist as recent as 2009.

Currently, there are no apparent publicly available plans for development of the Pioneer Cemetery; that includes a memorial. Perhaps that is because of the recommendation made by the town also reads, “Staff also recommends that a condition be placed in the building permit tracking system that any future ground disturbing construction be provided with State guidelines for treatment of historical, prehistoric or human remains.”

Does this “condition” have anything to do with the lot’s development status? Even so, this written provision itself seems a bit indicting. What is the need for this disclosure if no human remains were found or exist? Is this typical legalese to protect the town and if so, from what then? The book Old Mammoth reads, “In a heavily wooded spot between Mill City and Windy Flat was the graveyard of the three mining camps. It was a peaceful, beautiful, woodsy area.” Have we forgotten about the Pioneers buried here in Mammoth? If there are any persons familiar with this story I encourage you to contact the paper and have your story known.