Monument Cemetery
| Monument Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 The Gothic gatehouse to Monument Cemetery (circa 1868) was designed by John Sartain. | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1837 |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Type | private |
| Size | 20 acres[1] |
| No. of graves | 28,000[2] |
| Find a Grave | Monument Cemetery |
Monument Cemetery was a
By the 1950s, the cemetery had fallen into disrepair and was sold to
Description
The cemetery design was laid out in 1836 and 1837 by Dr. John A. Elkinton. The lot holders were incorporated on March 19, 1838 as the Monument Cemetery Company of Philadelphia.[3] It was the second garden or rural cemetery in Philadelphia, after Laurel Hill Cemetery, and was based on Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.[4] It was a 20-acre diamond shaped property located near the current day intersection of Broad and Berks Street.[5] Originally intended to be called "Pere La Chaise", it was renamed Monument Cemetery based on a plan to include a monument in the center dedicated to George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette.
The gatehouse, which also functioned as the chapel, was a gothic brownstone and brick structure topped with a towering spire.[6] The gatehouse was demolished in 1903 to extend Berks Street.[7]
Monument to Washington and Lafayette
Designed by John Sartain,[7] the monument was a 67-foot high obelisk adorned with nine-foot tall bronze medallions with profiles of Washington and Lafayette.[8] The pedestal of the monument was 77 and a half square yards – which was intended to signify the 77 and half years that Lafayette lived. The height of the obelisk was 67 feet and 10 inches, intended to signify the 67 years and 10 months of Washington's life. Above the pedestal were thirteen steps intended to signify the original 13 colonies. 32 grooves (8 on each side) on the sub-shaft of the obelisk were intended to signify the number of states in the Union when the monument was erected.[9]
Construction of the monument was delayed due to financial problems[7] but it was eventually completed and dedicated on May 29, 1869.[6]
The bronze plaque dedicated to Washington contained the following inscription:
- "Washington,
- First in war, First in peace,
- and
- First in the hearts of his Countrymen,
- As a Warrior,
- He served refusing pay, and led in the achievement of our
- Independence.
- As a statesman and Law Giver,
- His guiding wisdom assisted in framing the Constitutional
- Law.
- As first president of the U.S.,
- He governed with firmness and moderation.
- As a patriot, he bequeathed his bright example and
- Earnest counsel and immortal legacy to his country.
- As a man, his character stood superior in its grand
- Equipoise of noblest Qualities.
- Modest as great, prudent as wise,
- He gave the best years of his life to the public weal, and
- Died in Voluntary Retirement,
- The Brightest Star in the constellation of the great men
- Of all times."[9]
The bronze plaque dedicated to the Marquis de Lafayette contained the following inscription:
- "Gilbert Motier De Lafayette,
- Benefactor of two Hemispheres;
- Born a Noble of France
- He served as a citizen soldier of American
- Liberty;
- A cherished Friend of Washington,
- By whose side he fought and Bled
- In defence of the great principle
- That the only legitimate government
- Is that which derives its authority from the
- Governed.
- A patriot fearless and firm in days of Terror;
- A man of unchanging Integrity under
- Changing Dynasties;
- The Constant supporter of Constitutional
- Freedom;
- Like Washington,
- He died in voluntary Retirement,
- Leaving a name that belongs to History,
- The lesson of his life to future generations,
- His most revered memory
- To every American."[9]
Cemetery closure
Burials stopped by the late 1920s, and by the early 1950s the cemetery had fallen into disrepair. The cemetery suffered from crime and vandalism and became infested with rats.[2] Temple University was interested in purchasing the cemetery and repurposing it for athletic fields and a parking lot. The management of Monument Cemetery objected to this usage of the cemetery and hoped to sell to another cemetery company.[8] In 1954, Monument Cemetery finally agreed to terms to sell 11 1/2 acres of the cemetery to Temple University and the remainder to the Philadelphia Board of Education.[10]
The University contacted 748 families about the cemetery closure.
Notable burials
- DeWitt Clinton Baxter (1829–1881), artist, engraver, Union Army colonel and brevet brigadier general
- John Hull Campbell (1800–1868), U.S. Congressman
- Russell Conwell (1843–1925), founder of Temple University[13]
- Thomas Birch Florence(1812–1875), U.S. Congressman
- Bill Fouser (1855–1919), professional baseball player
- James Landy (1813–1875), U.S. Congressman
- Henry Dunning Moore(1817–1887), U.S. Congressman
- John Sartain (1808–1897), artist
- Hampton S. Thomas (1837–1899), U.S. Medal of Honor Awardee (American Civil War)
References
Citations
- ISBN 978-1-4290-2218-7. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d Dembele, Marian (11 November 2014). "Before there was Geasey, there were tombstones". www.temple-news.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Scharf 1884, p. 2359.
- ^ a b Ohstrom, Katrina (30 September 2011). "Watery Graves". www.hiddencityphila.org. Hidden City Philadelphia. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ a b Geringer, Dan (21 December 2012). "It's R.I.P. tide along the Delaware River". www.inquirer.com. Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b Westcott, Thompson (1876). The Official Guide Book to Philadelphia. A New Handbook for Strangers and Citizens. Philadelphia: Porter and Coates. pp. 310–311. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0-7385-1229-X. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Kyriakodis, Harry (22 October 2014). "The Missing Namesake of North Philly's Lost Necropolis". www.hiddencityphila.org. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- ^ a b c Scharf 1884, p. 1873.
- ^ "Defunct Cemetery Ask Remission of Old Lien" (PDF). www.fultonhistory.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
- ISBN 9780738749884. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ Mobile Instinct. "Tombstones Dumped Along the Riverbank". Youtube. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
- ^ Puckett, John L. & Mark Frazier Lloyd. Becoming Penn: The Pragmatic American University, 1950–2000, p. 345 (2015)
Sources
- Scharf, John Thomas and Westcott, Thompson (1884). History of Philadelphia, 1609–1884, Volume 3. L.H. Everts & Co.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Wunsch, Aaron Vickers (2009). "Parceling the Picturesque: "Rural" Cemeteries and Urban Context in Nineteenth-Century Philadelphia" (PDF). Retrieved 28 April 2021.