In many ways, Oak Mound Cemetery is a tranquil oasis in the busy town of Healdsburg.

It is the final resting place for many of the town's first settlers from the East and prominent families in this area.

To the east, is the Tayman Park golf course. To the west, Rec Park, Giorgi Park, and the Healdsburg Boys' Club. To the south, Healdsburg Elementary School.

Yet the casual visitor finds the cemetery appropriately peaceful. The only sounds are the faint noise of machinery at the Basalt plant across the Russian River and an occasional shout from the Boy's Club.

Lizards scurry amid the graves and crypts. Apparently they are not used to lively company..

Oak Mound Cemetery dates back to 1858. The oldest graves at Oak Mound are located in the hilly, tree-covered center of the cemetery -- the "oak mound" that gives the place its name. Despite the name often being misspelled "Oakmound," its correct spelling is "Oak Mound."

Founding settlers and their families are buried in this part of the cemetery. The names are familiar, since they also grace many of the streets in Healdsburg; Powell, Matheson, Brown, Tucker, Fitch.

The family which gave its name to Healdsburg is also found in the old cemetery. Harmon Heald, who came across the country in 1850 and built a cabin in the Healdsburg area in 1852, is buried there.

To the right of Harmon's grave is Sarah, his wife. To the left of Harmon is Elizabeth, mother of the Heald brothers. To her left is George Heald, Harmon's youngest brother and the first eastern settler to die in Healdsburg. His grave marker appears to be the oldest in the cemetery.

George Heald died in January of 1853, less than a month after his 23rd birthday. According to History of Sonoma County, published in 1880 by Alley, Bowen, & Co. of San Francisco, George Heald "was interred by the side of a cluster of madronas, in what is now the school lot, then apparently far away in the backwoods, now surrounded on every side by houses."

Historical research indicates the first cemetery established by the settlers from the East was located at what is the present site of St. John's Catholic Church, at East and Matheson Streets. Although the date is not documented, this cemetery was apparently established in 1853.

As Alley, Bowen's history states, the remains of George Heald, "along with many others, were afterwards removed to Oak Mound Cemetery." This move came in 1858. The land was donated by Col. Roderick Matheson.

Oak Mound seemed remote to the inhabitants of Healdsburg in the 19th century. Now, it is surrounded by the modern City of Healdsburg.

With the incorporation of the Basalt plant, Memorial Beach, and the rest of the Old Redwood Highway area south of the river into the city limits in 1979, Oak Mound became part of an unincorporated "island."

Bringing Oak Mound within the city limits is not a new idea. In July, 1878, the Healdsburg Enterprise opined: "It seems to us that it would be a good idea to include the cemetery in the corporate limits of the city." The newspaper recommended this course to aid in improving the cemetery, which was public property at the time.

After the first years, the cemetery was owned and maintained by the Luce family for several generations. The burial area south of the hill is known as the "Luce Addition."

In 1959, the cemetery was sold to John Galeazzi of Santa Rosa. Galeazzi held sole ownership of Oak Mound Cemetery, Inc. at least until 1980, in addition to a monument company. A caretaker looks after the cemetery.

It has been said that Chinese immigrants who settled in Healdsburg in the 19th century were buried in unmarked graves somewhere in the area; no one is quite sure where the burials took place.

Visiting Oak Mound today can be a fascinating experience, especially in the original Oak Mound section of the graveyard on the hill. Considering the historical value of this portion, it is fitting that Edwin Langhart, the prominent chronicler of Healdsburg history who died in 1979, is buried here.

The original Oak Mound Cemetery is now overgrown with brush, making it difficult to find some of the graves. Some graves are unmarked, their wooden markers having rotted years ago. Other graves have only plain wooden stakes to indicate their location.

Still, there are a number of interesting headstones and monuments to be found here -- good examples of cemetery statuary and inscriptions typical to the 19th century.

The problem of infant mortality in the 19th century is illustrated here. On a monument in the Trimble family lot are inscribed three names: Julia, who died in May, 1858 at the age of 6 months; Albert, who died in Jan., 1862, 1 month old; and Stella Ida, who died in Nov., 1875, aged 2 months old.

Most of the interments these days (about 25 per year) take place in the "perpetual care" area north of the hill.

In the 2010s and ‘20s, various groups have gathered to clean up the pioneer section of the cemetery and restore the historic Leda and Swan fountain there.