There are several (historical) categories of sections in Monte Vista.

1. The original (undesigned rural cemetery) Buena Vista sections encompass over 100 graves, many unmarked. This area is in the rear of the current Monte Vista cemetery, adjacent to Section R.
   Example grave marker:   “Infant Son of A. J. and Rosa CANNON  Born May 24   Died May 26, 1907
   

2. Example: Corporal W P Howington Company A Infantry   (marker evidently damaged and re-buried)

   
   
3. The old “numbered” sections are in the central part of the cemetery. Grave records were meticulously kept on 8×8″ graph paper (to scale) in two-ring binders. Where existing, these included (flush to the ground) concrete survey markers, which were cast in a size cup we would now call milkshake sized. Eventually the main E-W access road was paved, but the gravel road was never paved.  This section included the farthest located speaker (70v, buried 14-gauge cable) used for music “broadcast” during funerals, Sunday afternoons,  and on Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day).
   
   
4. Letter-named sections (A through S) were developed next (many of which have formal names – Garden of …). Several of these are still referred to by their Letter name, in particular the larger ones: D, F, I, R.
   A small section adjacent to C (Garden of Peace) and D was commonly called Babyland.
   
5. The modern named sections were all a part of the 1955 master plan, but were built incrementally from 1955 through 1970. These sections are laid out in counterclockwise order, altho chronologically, Garden of Peace was first to be installed, and Sermon on the Mount was the last.
   1. Garden of Light
   2. Garden of Word
   3. Garden of Peace
   4. Garden of Meditation
   5. Garden of Gospels (originally Section G)
   6. Garden of the Sermon on the Mount
   7. Garden of the Last Supper (including a small crypt area at the lowest part of the section)
   8. Garden of the Cross
   9. Mausoleum & Chapel

Garden of Light

Garden of Word

Garden of Peace

Garden of Peace panorama click to view interactive

Garden of Meditation

Garden of Gospels (originally Section G)

St John

St. Luke

St Mark

St. Matthew

Garden of the Sermon on the Mount

Garden of the Last Supper

This section’s main feature is a 2/3 scale sculpture placed on top of a small mausoleum, with a separate small crypt area at the lowest (southernmost) part of the section.
The sculpture is based on daVinci’s painting c.?1495–1498 which is housed in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.

Sadly the index finger of Thomas’ hand was knocked off by vandals in the 1990s, and has not been repaired.

Garden of the Cross

The sculpture itself has survived well, restored in 1966 after vandals wrote profanity on it in lipstick, which was very difficult to remove.
The landscaping surrounding it has not been maintained.

1969 Mausoleum & Chapel

Fountain & Duck Pond

Bench, ca. 1950, originally at the original pond under the large oak tree.

B Carroll Reece & Louise Despard Goff Reece (wife)

Monument & marker in a dedicated triangular special section.

Sadly as observed in 2023, parts of the cemetery’s stonework, statues, and landscaping were sorely in need of repair and simple weeding.