Entry No. 24 — the Sacramento file — filed under: cemetery
East Lawn Memorial Park
East Lawn exists because of a disaster: the Sacramento River tore through the Edwards levee in 1904, and this cemetery was founded that same year on higher ground, taking its first burial on Christmas Eve. Its two-story mausoleum only got built in 1926 after a developer tried to buy the land out from under the families of everyone already buried there.
The story
When the Sacramento River burst through the Edwards levee in 1904, it didn't just flood streets; it forced the living to reconsider where to put their dead. That same year, East Lawn was carved out of a high, dry country farm out on Folsom Boulevard, well clear of the floodwaters. The first burial went into the ground on Christmas Eve 1904, and almost immediately, the site became a strange local attraction—trolley-riders and sightseers traveled out past the city limits just to watch a working farm turn into a lawn cemetery.
The quiet didn't last. By 1926, a real estate developer tried to pull off a land grab, attempting to buy the property right out from under the families whose relatives were already buried in the dirt. To lock down the land forever and prevent anyone from carving it into housing tracts, the owners built the massive, two-story marble mausoleum that still anchors the grounds today.
Walk the paved loops today and you're stepping through a cross-section of local power and eccentricity. Among the headstones and mausoleum crypts sit four former Sacramento mayors, city benefactor William Land, and Oakland Raiders Hall of Fame center Jim Otto. You didn't hear it from us, but if you want to understand how Sacramento protects its own when the water rises or the land speculators swarm, this is where the proof is buried.
What it's like
Arrive off Folsom Boulevard and you'll find a quiet, manicured expanse dominated by huge shade trees and wide paved paths. The main attraction is the two-story 1926 mausoleum: step inside for cool marble corridors, soaring echoes, and absolute silence. It's a low-key, peaceful walk without crowds, though you should verify operating hours before heading out as gate access times can shift.
The move: Walk the marble mausoleum corridors, then track down the graves of four different Sacramento mayors and NFL lineman Jim Otto in a single afternoon loop.
- 📍 East Sacramento
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4300 Folsom Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95819
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Museum of Medical History — Pair a walk through historic interments with a look at 19th-century medical tools just over a mile away in River Park.
- Sacramento Historic City Cemetery — Compare East Lawn's 1904 elevated plan with Sacramento's older, lower city cemetery where victims of the 1850 cholera outbreak were buried.
- The Altar Room — Trade memorial marble and lawn paths for curated oddities and vintage decor down in Tahoe Park.
Good to know
Why was East Lawn established in 1904?
It was founded on elevated farm land following the 1904 breach of the Edwards levee along the Sacramento River, providing a flood-safe burial ground away from the low-lying city center.
Why was the two-story mausoleum built in 1926?
It was constructed after a developer attempted to purchase the cemetery grounds out from under the families of the people already interred there.
Who are some notable figures buried at East Lawn?
The grounds hold four former Sacramento mayors, city philanthropist William Land, and NFL legend Jim Otto.
Where is East Lawn Memorial Park located?
It sits at 4300 Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia · findagrave.com · Yelp · sacramentorevealed.com
last checked: 2026-07-20