The Ararat Massis Armenian Cemetery, commonly known as the Ararat Cemetery, is an

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

cemetery in

Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Established in 1885, the cemetery is the burial place of many prominent figures of

Armenian-American Armenian Americans ( hy, ամերիկահայեր, ''amerikahayer'') are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial Armenian ancestry. They form the second largest community of the Armenian diaspora after Armenians in ...

history, including

Soghomon Tehlirian Soghomon Tehlirian ( hy, Սողոմոն Թեհլիրեան; April 2, 1896 – May 23, 1960) was an Armenian revolutionary and soldier who assassinated Talaat Pasha, the former Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, in Berlin on March 15, 1921. He ...

Victor Maghakian Captain Victor "Transport" Maghakian ( hy, Վիգդոր Մաղաքեան; December 30, 1915 – August 17, 1977) was an Armenian-American member of the United States Marine Corps during World War II. As a gunnery sergeant, he led his platoon thro ...

, and

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''The ...

. The Ararat Massis Cemetery was the only Armenian cemetery built outside

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

for more than a century.

History

Soghomon Tehlirian Monument Fresno CA March 20 2022

The cemetery was established in 1885 at the southeast corner of Belmont and Hughes avenues, west of Fresno on land granted by Moses J. Church on December 2, 1885. Church donated twenty acres to the Armenian community, but community leaders believed that they needed only ten acres. Later the community had to buy additional land. It is believed that Mary Papazian, the second Armenian to die in Fresno, was the first to be buried there. On June 9, 1919, the Ararat Cemetery Association was established. A fire in 1930 destroyed many of Ararat Cemetery records. In 1956, with the efforts of the association, the cemetery expanded by acquiring a two-acre parcel of land beside the existing. In 1969, further expansion was done and the cemetery was renamed Ararat Massis Cemetery. The cemetery features a memorial dedicated to the victims of the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...

. The memorial includes bones from unknown victims brought over from Der Zor,

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. The cemetery also features a memorial to Moses J. Church, the donor of the property.

Notable burials

(1915–1977), recipient of the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

during World War II *

Andranik Ozanian Andranik Ozanian, commonly known as General Andranik or simply Andranik;. Also spelled Antranik or Antranig 25 February 186531 August 1927), was an Armenians, Armenian military commander and statesman, the best known ''Armenian fedayi, fedayi ...

(1865–1927), military commander and statesman (he was re-buried in

Pere Lachaise Pere may refer to: *Pere, Hungary, a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county * Rangimārie Te Turuki Arikirangi Rose Pere (1937–2020), Māori New Zealand educationalist and spiritual leader *Wi Pere (1837–1915), a Māori Member of Parliament i ...

, Paris in 1928 and finally to

Yerablur Yerablur ( hy, Եռաբլուր, translation=based on three hills) or Yerablur Military Pantheon is a military cemetery located on a hilltop in the outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia. Since 1988, Yerablur has become the burial place of Armenian soldie ...

in 2000) *

Alma Rubens Alma Rubens (born Alma Genevieve Reubens; February 19, 1897 – January 21, 1931) was an American film actress and stage performer. Rubens began her career in the mid 1910s. She quickly rose to stardom in 1916 after appearing opposite Douglas F ...

(1897–1931), actress *

Lucy Saroyan Lucy Saroyan (January 17, 1946 – April 11, 2003) was an American actress and photographer. Life and career Saroyan was born in San Francisco, California, the daughter of the writer William Saroyan and the actress Carol Grace. Her brothe ...

(1946–2003), actress *

(1908–1981), dramatist and author *

(1896–1960), Armenian Genocide survivor who

assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

the former Ottoman Interior Minister

Talaat Pasha Mehmed Talaat (1 September 187415 March 1921), commonly known as Talaat Pasha or Talat Pasha,; tr, Talat Paşa, links=no was an Ottoman politician and convicted war criminal of the late Ottoman Empire who served as its leader from 1913 t ...

References

External links

* * {{coord, 36, 44, 44, N, 119, 50, 04, W, type:landmark_scale:10000_region:US, display=title Armenian-American culture in California Armenian cemeteries Buildings and structures in Fresno County, California 1885 establishments in California Cemeteries in Fresno County, California