Over 400 People Are Buried Beneath This Popular San Diego Park

By Rebekah Gonzalez

October 20, 2021

Photo: Jean Arrollado

In the popular Steven Spielberg movie Poltergeist, a home development is built atop an old cemetery, trapping the spirits of those buried beneath.

Did you know that the same thing was done in this San Diego neighborhood -- and none of the bodies were moved?

Pioneer Park in Mission Hills is a quaint and scenic place where residents have picnics and bring their kids.

According to reviews on Yelp, it's also one of the only parks where alcohol is allowed on its premises.

However, many people aren't aware that the area used to be home to Calvary Cemetery. The cemetery had over 400 graves and according to San Diego Entertainer Magazine, the people buried there (many of them children) were often victims of brutal deaths ranging from drowning to murder.

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Plaque that reads "Dedicated to the memory of those interred within this park."
Photo: Jean Arrollado
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Photo: Jean Arrollado

With the final burial happening in 1960, the cemetery eroded and was largely forgotten after headstones were bulldozed and Pioneer Park was built over it.

Today, many locals say high amounts of paranormal activity happening there. It's even known to be one of the most haunted areas in all of San Diego.

Many people have reported sightings of a female ghost who appears to be lost and confused.

To see where one of the other most haunted places in San Diego is, click here.

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