Historic Marysville cemetery, second-oldest west of the Mississippi, gets official caretaker
While time has worn away some of its markers, it hasn't erased its history. The historic Marysville City Cemetery has an official adopter, the Friends for the Preservation of Yuba County History.
It's the second-oldest cemetery west of the Mississippi, second only to Sacramento's. For 15 years, the history group has been quietly taking care of it and now their work is official.
"Well, it's been going since 1850. One of the oldest headstones is 1851," said Victoria Trudor, volunteer with Friends for the Preservation of Yuba County History.
About eight volunteers with Friends for the Preservation of Yuba County History have been visiting the historic Marysville City Cemetery twice a week for upkeep.
"We're watering and pulling a few weeds around the flower beds," said Trudor. "It grows as you're trying to weed whack and mow it. It seems like it gets bigger and bigger."
The cemetery sits on 14.5 acres, but the volunteers are dedicated to its preservation.
"Because it's part of history, it's part of Marysville's history. It's part of Yuba County's history, even California's history, being a gold rush era cemetery," said Tudor.
Now, the city of Marysville has made the group the official caretakers of the historic site.
"There is so much history that is buried here and once you start reading the headstones and investigating who they are and what they did in this town, they become very interesting. And eventually they kind of become like family," said Tudor.
"I fell in love with the place on the first visit and as I was walking through with Vicky, I said, 'Hey, that's my mom's maiden name, I wonder if that's a relative,'" said Marla Pike, another volunteer.
With 10,000 people buried on the property, Pike discovered she has at least four relatives laid to rest in the very place she goes to trim the roses and give back to the community.
"The oldest headstone is over here next to Charles Macy. He is the brother of Rowland Macy, the Macy's," said Trudor.
Besides the department store giant's brother, other notable names are, potentially, the infamous stagecoach bandit Black Bart, and Charles Covillaud, the pioneer of the city and the man who named Marysville after his wife, Mary.
"So many more. It's just fascinating," said Pike.
The volunteers are coming out with a book about the cemetery in October.