Mare Island Naval Cemetery sits quietly on a hillside near the southern end of Mare Island in Vallejo, California. Surrounded by a white picket fence and overlooking the Napa River, this small historic burial ground does not need much space to make a long-lasting impression.
At the entrance, roses soften the scene. Inside, eucalyptus trees, weathered markers, military headstones, and old family plots tell a much larger story than the cemetery’s size suggests. This is not a sprawling national cemetery with endless rows of matching stones. It feels older, more intimate, and more tied to the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard around it.
That feeling is not new. As early as 1872, Scribner’s Monthly described the site as “a little enclosed cemetery” tucked into the Mare Island landscape. More than 150 years later, that description still fits.
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is considered the oldest naval cemetery west of the Mississippi River. Burials began here in 1856 and continued until 1921, with approximately 900 people interred on the grounds. Among them are service members, family members, Medal of Honor recipients, the daughter of Francis Scott Key, and Russian sailors from the Civil War era.
This guide covers what to know before visiting Mare Island Naval Cemetery, why the site matters, who is buried here, how the cemetery is being preserved today, the haunted cemetery stories tied to Mare Island, and how the cemetery fits into the larger history of the island.
Quick Facts About Mare Island Naval Cemetery
Detail | Information |
Location | Mare Island, Vallejo, California |
Address | 167 O’Hara Court, Vallejo, CA 94592 |
Size | About 2.5 acres |
Visiting hours | Open daily from sunrise to sunset |
Managed by | VA National Cemetery Administration; overseen through Sacramento Valley National Cemetery |
Burial status | Closed to new interments |
Restrooms | No restroom facilities at the cemetery |
Pets | Not permitted outside vehicles except service animals |
Best for | Military history, Mare Island history, quiet reflection |
Time needed | About 20–45 minutes |
Last verified | June 2026 |
Where Is Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is located on Mare Island in Vallejo, across the Mare Island Strait from downtown Vallejo.
Current address:
167 O’Hara Court
Vallejo, CA 94592
This is the address I would use for GPS. Mare Island has changed a lot over the years, and older written directions tied to Blake Avenue or the former Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve entrance may not be the best way to navigate there today.
Can You Visit Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
Yes, visitors can go to Mare Island Naval Cemetery during posted visitation hours. The cemetery is currently listed as open daily from sunrise to sunset.
This is still a cemetery first, not a park, picnic area, or general recreation space. There are no restroom facilities at the cemetery, so plan accordingly before making it part of a longer Mare Island visit.
A few important rules to know before visiting:
- Pets are not allowed outside vehicles, except service animals.
- Picnicking is not allowed.
- Biking, jogging, running, sports, and other recreational activities are not permitted.
- Weapons are not allowed on VA property.
- Do not litter or park on grass areas.
- Do not alter, mark, or attach anything to headstones or memorial markers.
These rules help protect the dignity of the cemetery and the people buried there.
A Short History of Mare Island Naval Cemetery
Mare Island’s military history reaches back to the early 1850s. The United States purchased the island in 1853, and Commander David Glasgow Farragut arrived in September 1854 to oversee the new Navy yard. Mare Island became the first United States naval base on the West Coast in 1854.
The shipyard went on to become one of the most important naval sites in California. The USS Saginaw, a wooden-hulled, steam-driven side-paddle-wheel gunboat, launched from Mare Island on March 3, 1859. It was the first of more than 500 ships built at Mare Island during the shipyard’s 142-year history.
Mare Island also played a major role in West Coast naval infrastructure. The first U.S. warship built on the West Coast and the first West Coast dry dock were both built at Mare Island.
The cemetery began during those early shipyard years. Burials started on this hillside in 1856 and continued until 1921. Over time, Mare Island Naval Cemetery became the final resting place for sailors, Marines, family members, foreign servicemen, Medal of Honor recipients, and other people connected to Mare Island’s long military story.
The cemetery is also part of the larger Mare Island historic landscape, with official documentation tying it to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and Ammunition Depot historic districts.
In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs took over administration and maintenance after the facility transferred from the City of Vallejo. That transfer matters for visitors because it changes how the cemetery should be described today. Older references to the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve caring for the cemetery should be treated as past context, not current access information.
Preserving Mare Island Naval Cemetery Today
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is not just an old historic site sitting quietly on the edge of Vallejo. It is also the focus of modern preservation work.
In recent years, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center has produced several studies for the VA National Cemetery Administration, including a historic landscape inventory, a cultural landscape management plan, a geophysical survey, and a headstone inventory and scanning project. These reports are meant to help the VA understand, document, manage, and preserve the cemetery’s historic landscape.
This preservation work matters because Mare Island Naval Cemetery is both beautiful and vulnerable. The hillside setting is part of what makes the cemetery memorable, but it also creates long-term preservation challenges.
This does not mean visitors should treat the cemetery as dangerous or off-limits. It means the landscape itself is part of the preservation story. The slope, older plantings, weathered markers, burial locations, and historic layout all have to be handled carefully.
The headstone inventory and scanning work is especially interesting because it connects old cemetery features with modern preservation technology. ERDC’s work includes documenting headstones and using scanning to support repair, replacement, correction, and preservation planning. That kind of documentation helps protect details that might otherwise be lost as stone, inscriptions, and artistic elements continue to weather over time.
For visitors, this gives the cemetery another layer of meaning. The weathered markers are not just atmospheric details in an old cemetery. They are historic objects being studied, documented, and preserved so the stories connected to Mare Island do not fade from view.
Notable Graves at Mare Island Naval Cemetery
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is small, but it has a remarkable concentration of history. The cemetery includes veterans from conflicts reaching back to the War of 1812, along with people connected to the Navy, Mare Island, San Francisco, Vallejo, and international events.
The current VA page lists four Medal of Honor recipients as interred or memorialized at Mare Island Naval Cemetery: James Cooney, John Enright, William Halford, and Alexander Parker. Older references stated that there were only three.
James Cooney
James Cooney was born in Limerick, Ireland, and served in the United States Marine Corps. He received the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Boxer Rebellion near Tientsin, China, on July 13, 1900.
His story connects Mare Island Naval Cemetery to a much wider world of American military history. This small hillside cemetery in Vallejo is not just a local burial ground. Some of the people buried or memorialized here served far from California, then ended up tied forever to Mare Island.
John Enright
Enright received the Medal of Honor for rescuing two shipmates who had fallen into dangerous waters while he was serving aboard the USS Ranger off Ensenada, Mexico, in 1886.
His death came only a few years later while he was trying to save another life near Vallejo. Enright drowned after attempting to rescue a boy when a small boat overturned.
This is the kind of detail that makes Mare Island Naval Cemetery feel personal. These are not just names on old markers. They are stories of people who acted in dangerous moments, sometimes at the cost of their own lives.
William Halford
William Halford has one of the most dramatic stories connected to the cemetery. He served aboard the USS Saginaw, the first ship built at Mare Island.
When the Saginaw wrecked in 1870, Halford was one of the volunteers who set out in a small boat to find help for the stranded crew. The journey covered roughly 1,500 miles and pushed the men through storms, rough seas, spoiled rations, sickness, and near starvation.
After 31 days, the boat reached Kauai, but it overturned in the surf. Halford was the only survivor. Injured but alive, he made it ashore and eventually helped secure rescue for the remaining Saginaw crew.
It is hard to stand in this quiet Vallejo cemetery and not think about that contrast: a peaceful hillside overlooking the Napa River, and a man remembered here because he survived one of the most punishing rescue journeys in U.S. naval history.
Alexander Parker
Alexander Parker served in the U.S. Navy as a boatswain’s mate aboard the USS Portsmouth. He received the Medal of Honor for attempting to save a shipmate from drowning at Mare Island Naval Shipyard on July 25, 1876.
Parker’s story is especially tied to the place itself. Unlike some of the other recipients whose actions took place overseas or far from California, Parker’s act of bravery happened right here at Mare Island.
Anna Arnold Key Turner and Daniel Turner
Anna Arnold Key Turner is one of the most notable civilians buried at Mare Island Naval Cemetery. She was the daughter of Francis Scott Key, the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and she also served as one of Vallejo’s first public school teachers.
Her husband, Daniel Turner, is buried there as well. Turner had been a congressional representative from North Carolina, served in the War of 1812, and later worked as the superintending engineer of public works at Mare Island Navy Yard from 1854 until his death in 1860.
This is one of the reasons the cemetery feels like more than a military site. It also reflects the families, builders, teachers, and civilians who helped shape Mare Island and early Vallejo.
Adam Armstrong McAlister
Adam Armstrong McAlister was connected to St. Peter’s Chapel, as the first chaplain and the driving force for the erection of the chapel.
Lucy Lawson
Lucy Lawson adds a different kind of story to the cemetery. Local cemetery accounts have long connected her to a dramatic nineteenth-century case involving the death of her husband, a conviction, a pardon, and a later life on Mare Island.
The story stands out because it is so different from the military biographies around it. Mare Island Naval Cemetery is full of sailors, officers, shipyard figures, and service families, but Lucy Lawson’s story hints at the messier human history that also finds its way into old burial grounds.
David Oldham Lewis and the USS Boston Memorial
David Oldham Lewis was a medical inspector and fleet surgeon for the U.S. Pacific Squadron. He aided in saving sailors from the USS Boston due to an explosion at the Naval Ammunition Depot on June 13, 1892.
The 1892 explosion killed USS Boston sailors working near the ammunition depot, and later accounts describe the blast as powerful enough to shake the surrounding area. Newspaper reports from the time varied slightly on the number of dead, but the erected memorial and local tradition honors 15 USS Boston crewmen.
The Russian Sailors Buried at Mare Island
One of the most unusual stories at Mare Island Naval Cemetery involves A. Trapeznikov, K. Kort, Y. Bootorin and three unidentified Russian sailors who died in San Francisco during the Civil War era.
Six Russian sailors from that period are buried at the cemetery. Their story is usually tied to an 1863 fire in San Francisco, when Russian sailors reportedly joined local firefighters during a major blaze near the waterfront.
Historical fire accounts describe Russian sailors arriving with buckets, then being directed to work the engines alongside San Francisco firemen. The scene must have been chaotic: sailors from a foreign fleet, local fire crews, waterfront buildings, smoke, heat, shouted orders, and a city trying to contain a dangerous fire before it spread farther.
That story alone would make their graves worth noticing. But the sailors’ resting places later became part of a modern preservation controversy as well.
According to SFGATE, the Russian Consulate purchased new granite headstones to replace the weathered markers that had stood at the cemetery for more than a century. Historic preservationists objected because the cemetery was a protected historic site and the new markers had reportedly been installed without proper approval.
The newer markers are visually striking, and the intent was clearly to honor sailors buried far from home. At the same time, historic cemeteries depend on process, preservation standards, and restraint. Once original markers are removed or replaced without proper approval, part of the historical record can disappear with them.
I can see both sides of this argument. For me, I think the crosses add to the overall visual appeal of the cemetery even if they don’t match other markers. However, I certainly would not like to see anymore removal or replacements of markers in this cemetery.
For visitors, this section of the cemetery is one of the most memorable areas. It also shows why Mare Island Naval Cemetery is not just a place of burial. It is a place where memory, preservation, national identity, and local history all overlap.
Haunted Mare Island, Ghost Walks, and Cemetery Legends
Near the cemetery, Mare Island’s old Navy buildings, ammunition bunkers, historic hospital, industrial warehouses, and quiet shipyard roads create the kind of setting where ghost stories tend to gather. You do not have to believe every urban legend to understand why the island attracts them. The real history is already heavy enough: military burials, shipyard accidents, wartime infrastructure, abandoned buildings, and more than a century of naval life.
Mare Island has also hosted ghost-themed events over the years. One Mare Island Ghost Walk was promoted as a fundraiser at the Mare Island Preserve, with a roughly two-mile walk through what the event called paranormal “hot spots” and a nighttime investigation of the cemetery and World War II ammunition bunkers. The event description mentioned claims of voices, shadow people, and the feeling of being watched.
That ghost-walk history adds another layer to the cemetery’s reputation, but it should be separated from normal visitor access today. Mare Island Naval Cemetery is now managed by the VA National Cemetery Administration, and current visitation hours are daily from sunrise to sunset. It remains a protected national cemetery, not an after-hours ghost-hunting site.
The island’s reputation as being a haunted place, also extends beyond the cemetery. Halloween’s NightMARE Island has been covered as a Bay Area haunted attraction set inside a large warehouse on Mare Island. That kind of event fits naturally with the old shipyard’s industrial setting, where empty buildings, military history, and local folklore have helped make Mare Island feel spooky during Halloween.
Another local ghost story centers on Building 77 and Lt. Cmdr. Samuel Wilson. In 2025, Vallejo Sun listed a “Ghost of Samuel Wilson Beer Release & Tour” at Mare Island Brewing Co., a Halloween-week event tied to the history and mystery of Building 77. The story centers on Wilson’s remains, which were reportedly misplaced, returned, and eventually folded into one of the island’s more specific ghost legends.
The legend is not completely detached from the historical record. An 1887 newspaper item from the San Jose Mercury News reported that the remains of Lt. Cmdr. Samuel L. Wilson were buried at Mare Island Cemetery after being returned there. Over time, that burial story appears to have grown into a piece of Mare Island folklore.
If you are interested in ghost tours, haunted attractions, or paranormal-themed events on Mare Island, check current listings before you go. These appear to be seasonal or event-based, not a standing daily cemetery tour. Regular Mare Island Historic Park Foundation tours focus on naval history, St. Peter’s Chapel, Tiffany stained glass, Alden Park, the historic core, dry docks, and other shipyard sites rather than cemetery ghost hunting.
Nearby Mare Island Historic Stops
If you are already visiting the Mare Island Naval Cemetery, it makes sense to pair it with other historic spots on the island. The cemetery is powerful on its own, but Mare Island makes more sense when you see how the burial ground, chapel, hospital, military parks, dry docks, and shipyard buildings all fit together.
St. Peter’s Chapel
St. Peter’s Chapel is one of the best nearby stops. The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation offers tours that begin at the chapel and include its history, architecture, and Tiffany stained-glass windows.
The chapel pairs naturally with the cemetery because both places show a more personal side of Mare Island’s military history. One is a place of worship and ceremony. The other is a place of burial and remembrance.
Alden Park
Alden Park is another good stop because it gives visitors a broader look at Mare Island’s military landscape. If the cemetery shows the human cost and memory of the island, Alden Park shows more of its firepower, naval identity, and preserved military hardware.
Mare Island Naval Hospital
The old Mare Island Naval Hospital adds another layer to the island’s story. For readers interested in abandoned buildings, military medicine, and historic structures, it is one of the strongest related stops to include with the cemetery.
It also connects naturally to the haunted side of Mare Island. The hospital’s age, architecture, and long military history make it one of those places where real history and ghost-story atmosphere are hard to separate.
Viewing the hospital must be done at a distance as it’s considered private property.
Mare Island Historic Tours
If readers want more than a self-guided visit, the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation offers guided tours of Mare Island’s naval heritage. Tour dates and times can change, so visitors should confirm current availability before planning around a tour.
Why Mare Island Naval Cemetery Is Worth Visiting
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is not one of those places you visit because it is flashy. You go because it is quiet, layered, and historically important.
I’m not one who gets overly excited when visiting cemeteries. Yet, I’m intrigued, and sometimes captivated, by the history of the men and women buried there, but it’s still a cemetery and not a museum. However, visiting the Mare Island Naval Cemetery was an entirely different experience.
My initial somberness was replaced with pride as I saw all of these men who proudly served to protect this country. The cemetery itself was quaint, quiet and had a peaceful view of the river. If I had to imagine what I would want a cemetery to look like, the Mare Island Naval Cemetery is how I would picture it.
It’s easily one of my favorite cemeteries in California due to its location, setting and historic layers of those interred there. And, it should be a key stop for any visit to Mare Island.
FAQs About Mare Island Naval Cemetery
Where is Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is located on Mare Island in Vallejo, California. The current VA-listed address is 167 O’Hara Court, Vallejo, CA 94592.
Can you visit Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
Yes. The cemetery is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Is Mare Island Naval Cemetery still active?
No. Mare Island Naval Cemetery is closed to new interments.
Is Mare Island Naval Cemetery the oldest naval cemetery on the West Coast?
Mare Island Naval Cemetery is described by the VA as the oldest naval cemetery west of the Mississippi River.
Who is buried at Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
The cemetery includes approximately 900 people, including sailors, Marines, family members, Medal of Honor recipients, the daughter of Francis Scott Key, and six Russian sailors from the Civil War era.
Is Mare Island Naval Cemetery haunted?
Mare Island Naval Cemetery and the surrounding island have attracted ghost stories, paranormal walks, haunted attractions, and Halloween events over the years.
Are dogs allowed at Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
Pets are not permitted outside vehicles, except service animals.
Are there restrooms at Mare Island Naval Cemetery?
No. There are no restroom facilities at the cemetery.
Sources
VA National Cemetery Administration — Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/MareIslandNaval.asp
ERDC — Mare Island Naval Cemetery publication notices
https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Media/Publication-Notices/Tag/279008/mare-island-cal/
ERDC Library — Historic Landscape Inventory for Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/items/80312317-7591-4c0b-ab6a-ce5aacdc52e8
ERDC Library — Cultural Landscape Management Plan for Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/items/310fa10a-cc65-49c4-9bcf-95e60b9e72ea
ERDC Library — Geophysical Survey of Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/items/19b27bc0-5eab-472b-b50a-93a9f023faa6
ERDC Library — Headstone Inventory and Scanning at Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/items/18761365-afee-4932-bbab-0cca9396afdf
ERDC Library — Geotechnical Investigation of Mare Island Naval Cemetery
https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/items/f4f619fc-80de-4bb0-8081-5a6550004c9e
National Park Service — Mare Island Naval Shipyard
https://www.nps.gov/places/mare-island-naval-shipyard.htm
Visit Vallejo — Mare Island History
https://www.visitvallejo.com/about-vallejo/mare-island-history
U.S. House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives — TURNER, Daniel
https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/23146
Maritime Heritage Project — Mare Island historical account / Scribner’s Monthly excerpt
https://www.maritimeheritage.org/ports/usCaliforniaMareIsland.html
Guardians of the City / San Francisco Fire Department history — 1863 fire account
https://guardiansofthecity.org/sffd/fires/notable_fires/1863_general_alarm.html
SFGATE — Vallejo Fights Russian Consulate Over Headstones
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Vallejo-fights-Russian-Consulate-over-headstones-2374852.php
Deadliest American Disasters — USS Boston explosion source roundup
1892 — June 13, munitions explos., USS Boston crewmen, Mare Island Navy Yard, CA– 15
Brown Paper Tickets — Mare Island Ghost Walk
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/464039
Vallejo Sun — Upcoming Vallejo Events: Halloween and Día de Muertos
https://www.vallejosun.com/upcoming-vallejo-events-halloween-and-dia-de-muertos/
CDNC / San Jose Mercury News — Lt. Cmdr. Samuel L. Wilson burial item
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SJMN18870810.2.42
San Francisco Chronicle — NightMARE Island / Bay Area haunted attraction coverage
https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/haunted-house-bay-area-19805218.php
Mare Island Historic Park Foundation — Tours
https://mihpf.org/toursot a quick roadside curiosity. It is a place of service, loss, preservation, and memory.
