Ferndale

After hiking around Russ Park, I went on to wander Ferndale. The entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was founded in 1852 and prospered in the diary industry. I actually started by walking just outside the city limits to Saint Mary's Cemetery since I had passed distinctive cemetery on the way to Russ Park and noticed the smaller one right next to it.

cemetery in the curve of the hill — Saint Mary's Cemetery just outside Ferndale.

Some of the family plots date back to the 1850s based on the dates. I quickly found Etter and Russ among them. I noted them because those names can also be found on the map. I climbed the hill and took a quick loop through the cemetery.

cypress trees — Monterey cypress line the edges along with Douglas firs.

I headed over to the Ferndale Cemetery for a similar stroll. It also dates back to the 1850s although there are a few earlier who were reburied from plots near homes. It is similarly constructed. A few of the plots have nice trees growing or other live flowers.

entry to Ferndale Cemetery has a metal arch saying so — Entry to the Ferndale Cemetery. The gates close at 6PM.

plots with many or few graves — Family plots in many different styles, mostly with a lot of concrete. The well kept rhododendron is one of many.

one grave from 1876 and others in an older section — One of the older graves, a young man who was just 27 in 1876.

looking down from up on the hill — Looking back from up on the hill. The church almost lost in the fog at the bottom of the cemetery is no longer a church.

I walked over to Main Street to wander through town. I got as far as the memorial wall before following Herbert and Berdling back, taking in the false fronts of the shops and the bright paint of the old homes. There's a couple newer Craftsman styles mixed into the Victorians. After walking the two cemeteries, I tended to take note of the churches along the way as well.