Pioneer Cemetery (Nevada City, California)
{{Short description|Cemetery in Nevada County, California}}
{{Infobox cemetery
|name=Pioneer Cemetery
|established=c. 1851
|type=Church
|country=United States
|location=West Broad Street, Nevada City, Nevada County, California
|coordinates={{Coord|39.26556|-121.02417|display=inline,title}}
|findagraveid=8278|politicalgeo=CA/NV-buried.html}}
The Pioneer Cemetery is a cemetery established in c. 1851 behind the Nevada City United Methodist Church, in Nevada City, California.{{Cite web |title=Point of Historic Interest in Nevada City, California: Pioneer Cemetery |url=https://noehill.com/nevada_county_california/poi_pioneer_cemetery.asp |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=noehill.com}}{{Cite book |last=Varney |first=Philip |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SuMREAAAQBAJ |title=Ghost Towns of California: Your Guide to the Hidden History and Old West Haunts of California |date=2012-07-15 |publisher=Voyageur Press |isbn=978-1-61058-563-7 |pages=65 |language=en}} This was the first cemetery in Nevada City, formed during the California Gold Rush.
History
The Pioneer Cemetery was established in 1851 on a hill behind the Nevada City United Methodist Church. The Nevada City United Methodist Church was the first denominational church in Nevada County.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=November 19, 2021 |title=Nevada City United Methodist Church to host annual Craft Faire |url=https://www.theunion.com/entertainment/nevada-city-united-methodist-church-to-host-annual-craft-faire/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=The Union |language=en-US}} Some sources cite the cemetery establishment date as 1849;{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZeoCAAAAMBAJ |title=American Cowboy |date=February 2008 |publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc |pages=87 |language=en}} this was the first cemetery in Nevada City.{{Cite book |last=Brower |first=Maria E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iHuRJOXuev8C |title=Nevada City |date=2005 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-3062-8 |pages=70–71 |language=en}} Many of the early grave markers were made of wood and no longer existing due to time and decay. It is estimated there are 400 unmarked graves at Pioneer Cemetery.
One of the notable burials is Henry Meredith (1826–1860) who was killed at the Battle of Lake Pyramid in Utah Territory (now Nixon, Nevada); his burial drew crowds to the cemetery. Aaron Augustus Sargent (1827–1887), politician nicknamed, "the Senator for the Southern Pacific Railroad", has a grave marker at this cemetery.{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Christopher A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rrrrDAAAQBAJ |title=Cemeteries of the Western Sierra |date=2016-09-12 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4396-5752-2 |pages=29 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Enss |first=Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=urDSgjbQPoYC |title=Tales Behind the Tombstones: The Deaths and Burials of the Old West's Most Nefarious Outlaws, Notorious Women, and Celebrated Lawmen |date=2007-07-01 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-7627-5186-0 |pages=88 |language=en}}
Other historic cemeteries in Nevada City include: the North Bloomfield Cemetery in the Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park; the Moores Flat cemetery in Moores Flat, a former mining site; the St. Canice Historical Cemetery; the Pine Grove Cemetery; and the Meadow Lake cemetery in the mining town of Meadow Lake.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Laura |title=Gold Rush graves |url=https://www.theunion.com/news/gold-rush-graves/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=The Union newspaper |date=19 October 2005 |language=en-US}}