National Historic Landmark

Laurel Hill Cemetery

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
October 28, 1977
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77001185

About this property

Laurel Hill Cemetery, also called Laurel Hill East to distinguish it from the affiliated West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, is a historic rural cemetery in the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia. Founded in 1836, it was the second major rural cemetery in the United States after Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery is 74 acres (300,000 m2) in size and overlooks the Schuylkill River. The cemetery was designed by John Notman and grew to its current size through the purchase of four land parcels between 1836 and 1861. It contains over 11,000 family lots and more than 33,000 graves, including many adorned with grand marble and granite funerary monuments, elaborately sculpted hillside tombs and mausoleums. It is an accredited arboretum with over 6,000 trees and shrubs representing 700 species. In 1977, Laurel Hill Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1998, became the first cemetery in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark.

Location

3822 Ridge Ave.
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
40.00413, -75.18764

Categories

ARCHITECTUREARTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Laurel Hill Cemetery

This page lists Laurel Hill Cemetery. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Chamounix
Industrial
0.2 mi
Church of St. James the Less
Industrial
0.3 mi
Dobson Mills
Listed
0.3 mi
Reyburn Manufacturing Company Building
Industrial
0.4 mi
Mifflin, Thomas, School
Industrial
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown (approach actions)
1777Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Battle of Germantown
1777Revolutionary War
3.2 mi
Battle of Germantown — Chew House
1777Revolutionary War
3.8 mi
Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Laurel Hill Cemetery listed on the National Register?

Laurel Hill Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 28, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Laurel Hill Cemetery?

Laurel Hill Cemetery is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Laurel Hill Cemetery a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Laurel Hill Cemetery has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Laurel Hill Cemetery?

The period of significance for Laurel Hill Cemetery is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Laurel Hill Cemetery?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Laurel Hill Cemetery will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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