woodlawn funeral home & woodlawn memorial gardens

Points of Interest & Landmarks • Cemeteries

About

Woodlawn Funeral Home's beauty and serenity offers families a sense of peace and comfort. We are conveniently located and easily accessible to the San Francisco Bay area with access to BART. The manicured grounds and rolling hills provide a park-like setting, with the San Bruno Mountains to the east. Lotus Garden, our premier location, features a breathtaking cascading waterfall. We offer ground burial, niches, crypts, scattering gardens and estates, and we have the ability to provide unique options for our families.

Suggested duration

< 1 hour

The area

Colma • 6 min walk

Best nearby

We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.

Fine Cemetery

Nov 2018 • Family

We try to visit Woodlawn at least twice a year. Really have no complaints.

Plenty of parking. Facilities are well kept. I think it is a fine place to visit your loved ones.

Written 4 November 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

LOVELY QUIET CHAPEL

Aug 2017 • Family

One of the older chapels and very quite and nice. Nice people and efficient. Although I don't know about making arrangements here it seemed very nice.

Written 18 December 2017

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

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Fremont, CA 129,848 contributions

Emperor Norton Grave at Woodland Cemetery

Jul 2016 • Couples

We went to see Woodland Cemetery. It is a park like setting with views of the San Bruno Mountains . There is also a cascading waterfall the cemetery,

Among the people buried there is Emperor Norton grave. Its s peaceful place.

Written 23 July 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

A memorial worthy of an emperor

Jun 2015 • Couples

I was really surprised the tomb wasn't featured in Tripadvisor and immediately sought to add it! For the history buffs among you who never heard of an American Emperor, here's the short story:

Joshua Norton was once a wealthy San Francisco businessman who lost his entire fortune in the 1850s and disappeared from the scene until September 17, 1859, when he publicly declared himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States", and later, "Protector of Mexico". By then Mr. Norton was quite insane, however the good folk in San Francisco encouraged him and played along with his numerous public decrees on matters of public policy and his own currency which was accepted around town.

The city furnished him with a uniform, he received free tickets to concerts and theaters and ate for free in many restaurants in the city. In the 1870 national census, Norton's occupation was officially listed as "emperor." with a note that claims he is insane.

On January 8, 1880, Norton collapsed at a street corner and died. 10,000 mourners visited his body in state, and he was buried at the city's expense in the Masonic Cemetery, and later transferred to Woodlawn Cemetery, in Colma. The site is marked by a large stone inscribed "Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico."

Author Neil Gaiman incorporated him in his Sandman graphic novels, and there is still a lot of information available on Emperor Norton online. Woodland Cemetery has a giveaway map available in the office which highlights the location of his grave. You can drive all the way up and park right besides it.

A nice historic detour on your way in and out of San Francisco.

Written 18 July 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.