This morning when I woke up to soft sunlight streaming through my bedroom window, I knew that I just had to get going and head over to the old pioneer cemetery in Dublin. I could tell that the lighting would be just right for some photographing. And to my delight, it was. The Dublin Cemetery is part of a heritage center that includes St. Raymond's Church, the old Murray schoolhouse, and a few other old buildings from Dublin's past. The skies were cobalt blue, the cemetery grounds were blanketed with fallen oak leaves, and many of the tombstones were glistening in the morning light - the perfect photo op! Come take a stroll...
St. Raymond's Church was built in 1859 and is the oldest existing Catholic Church in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties...
It looks like a typical New England Church and was built by the city's earliest settlers...
The belltower was added in 1890 and was used to communicate celebrations,
time, and emergencies to the townspeople...
The cemetery is filled with Irish names (hence the city's name of Dublin) as well as other European names. Take a look; you may recognize some names from some of the more prominent early settlers of the San Ramon Valley...
Here's the view looking toward the church from the back of the cemetery...
The Dublin Cemetery has hundreds of tombstones. I only photographed the ones that were basking in the morning sun. There are also information boards which explain the background of many of the settlers who are buried in this place. At this time of year, in particular, it is a very tranquil place to visit especially if you're interested in our local history. Stop by and stroll among the tombstones and check out the other historical buildings. Oh, by the way, when I got home and opened up the morning newspaper, there just so happened to be an article about this place - that's where I got some of my information about the church.
