Magnolia Cemetery

Did you ever hear of a cemetery named after a cottage? Right here in Tacony, Philadelphia, lies Magnolia Cemetery. It’s a quiet place, full of history. Magnolia Cemetery was founded in 1886. It’s nestled between Levick, Ditman, Hellerman, and Cottage Streets. The cemetery’s office is located at 6950 Tulip Street. Magnolia Cemetery sits on land that was once part of a much larger estate. It was called the Magnolia Cottage estate. This cottage belonged to Frances “Fanny” Saltar. Her property was originally part of a 151-acre plantation owned by Thomas Gordon. He bought the land sometime after 1759. Magnolia Cottage stood southeast of the current intersection of Cottage Street and Magee Avenue. Both the cemetery and Cottage Street take their names from this historic cottage. Fanny Saltar wrote “Reminiscences of Colonial Days in Philadelphia” while living at Magnolia Cottage. Imagine her looking out at the very land that now forms Magnolia Cemetery. Thinking about the past as she penned her memories. In 1896, Magnolia Cemetery expanded to nine acres. The cemetery offers a peaceful final resting place for many. Including some notable figures. Joseph H. “Joe” Mulvey, a major league baseball player, is buried here. He played for three different Philadelphia teams. Several members of the Disston family are also interred at Magnolia Cemetery. Henry Disston, a 19th-century industrialist, was known as “the father of modern Tacony”. So, Magnolia Cemetery is more than just a cemetery. It’s a piece of Tacony’s history. A quiet reminder of a bygone era. A place where the echoes of Fanny Saltar’s stories still linger.