One of San Diego's oldest burial sites converted to public green space, Pioneer Park at 1521 Washington Pl sits atop the former Calvary Cemetery, established in 1876 as the city's second Catholic burial ground. A memorial row of preserved headstones marks the resting place of prominent San Diego pioneers, making the grounds a destination for history walks that pair naturally with nearby landmarks like Harper's Topiary Garden. The city converted the cemetery into a public park in 1968, removing most markers to Mount Hope Cemetery while leaving over 800 interments beneath the existing lawns. Current amenities include a children's playground, tennis courts across Washington Place, and permittable picnic grounds for events up to 750 guests, with wedding and celebration logistics coordinated through planners such as Thater Made Planning & Design. The site's most historically significant interments include Cave J. Couts, boundary surveyor for the U.S.-Mexico border, his wife Ysadora Bandini, and Father Antonio Ubach, figures whose graves anchor Hillcrest's deepest ties to 19th-century California settlement.