Learn about plans at the Al Tahoe Pioneer Cemetery during community Open House

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There have been no burials at the Al Tahoe Pioneer Cemetery for 63 years and the public is invited to an informational session on Thursday, September 22 to learn about what is on the horizon for its restoration and improvement project.

Through collaborative efforts between the City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Historical Society (LTHS), Daughters of the American Revolution South Lake Tahoe Chapter (DAR), Kiwanis Club of Tahoe Sierra, and the Tahoe Conservancy, plans have been created to enhance public access to the cemetery which was created in 1866.

Thomas Rowland started the town of Rowland Station at the end of what is now known as Lakeview Avenue in South Lake Tahoe and dedicated a plot of land for a cemetery. The first records show someone was buried in the area in 1861, though Rowland did not come along until 1866 (though these records differ on the exact years). Thomas Rowland may have died without seeing his community transition to AI Tahoe but he and Sophronia have a permanent home there. Thomas and Sophronia are buried at the cemetery which sits on land dedicated by Thomas to be a cemetery. In addition to the Rowlands, other local pioneer families are buried here, including members of the Barton and Goodrich families. The last burial was for Rowland’s daughter Flora Dickey, and her sister Fiona Rowland Barton is also buried there.

The last burial at the pioneer cemetery was in 1959.

There were decades of neglect as the community around the plot of land developed though the cemetery remained relatively untouched. A street grid and plot map was created after the Al Tahoe area was purchased by Aram Harootunian in 1945.

In 1975, Boy Scout Don Deede's Eagle Scout project was working on the cemetery and researching those buried there. He found 35 and his signage is still at the Alameda Avenue site, then Lee Vestal of LTHS continued the research, followed by DAR. There are now 52 names associated with gravesites.

In 2020, DAR received a grant to bring in a ground penetrating radar survey and there were 110 determined burial sites, 105 of those in what is the main cemetery, and five on the adjacent lot that was owned by the Tahoe Conservancy. That spot is part of the land swap between the City of South Lake Tahoe and the Conservancy.

Only 12 headstones remain. The others were vandalized or destroyed before a fence was placed around the property several years ago.

Find out what is next for the cemetery at the community informational meeting on Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The City has created a survey to find out what the community would like at the location, and it can be found here - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q77MRHH.

Fundraising is underway for items that will be needed for the restoration project, including benches, plaques, and headstones. To donate, visit HERE.

The cemetery is located at 790 Alameda Avenue, South Lake Tahoe.