UCLA Pre-History: Cemetery

The veterans' cemetery in Westwood long predates UCLA's presence in the area.  The cemetery dates back to 1889 and originally was meant for Civil War veterans.  However, the statue at the Wilshire Blvd. entrance (see photo) refers to the Spanish-American War of 1898:

"The United Spanish War Veterans monument, also known as the Spirit of '98, is a bright white marble composition of three figures completed in 1950 by sculptor Roger Noble Burnham. The memorial crumbled after a 1971 earthquake. In 1973, sculptor David Wilkens re-created the monument out of concrete and plaster, reinforcing it with rebar. The plaque from the original sculpture survived and was imbedded on the new sculpture."

Source: http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/losangeles.asp

UCLA was founded just after World War I but didn't move to Westwood until the late 1920s.