'Ukraina' at Garin Regional Park

Fr. Agapius and Albina Honcharenko are buried beneath this tree overlooking San Francisco Bay. gparado (Atlas Obscura User)

This entry is a stub

Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding 'Ukraina' at Garin Regional Park with additional information or photos.

Father Agapius Honcharenko and his wife Albina once had a home in this park overlooking the San Francisco Bay high in the Hayward Hills.

The pair were the first people who identified as Ukrainian to settle in the United States. Originally settling in Alaska before establishing a home in San Francisco, Honcharenko wrote anti-Czarist literature that advocated for social reform that was often smuggled into Russia. This made him a key target of the Russian government.

The two of them fled to this homestead in 1873 in what was then a very isolated location, even from the town of Hayward. At their homestead, they grew fruits and vegetables, while Fr. Agapius continued to write pieces advocating for social reform in his homeland. He died in 1916 and was buried next to Albina, who had passed the year prior. Their gravesite overlooks San Francisco Bay.

Know Before You Go

'Ukraina' is officially part of Garin Regional Park, which is a unit of the East Bay Regional Parks District. It's not accessible from the rest of Garin Park; one would need to drive to Stonebrae Elementary School on Hayward Blvd, then drive to the end of Carden Lane. The trail to the homestead starts at the end of Carden Lane. It's about 3.2 miles total, with a moderate incline.