Isn’t it remarkable how Mount Moriah Cemetery serves as a silent witness to Philadelphia’s past? Founded in 1855, Mount Moriah Cemetery is not just a burial ground. It’s a sprawling landscape of history, nature, and memory.
Mount Moriah Cemetery spans 200 acres. It straddles the border between Southwest Philadelphia and Yeadon, Pennsylvania. This makes it the largest cemetery in Pennsylvania.
Unlike other rural cemeteries of its time, Mount Moriah Cemetery welcomed a diverse clientele. African-Americans, Jews, and Muslims found their final resting places here. It catered to the middle class. It was easily accessible by streetcar.
Look toward the entrance. The Norman Castellated brownstone gatehouse once stood proudly on Kingsessing Avenue. Stephen Decatur Button designed it. Father Time once stood atop its gated arch. The statue now marks the grave of John H. Jones.
Pause for a moment at the two military burial plots. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs maintains these areas. The Soldiers’ Lot on the Philadelphia side holds 406 burials. The Naval Plot on the Yeadon side contains 2,400. These plots date back to the American Civil War.
Mount Moriah Cemetery is part of the United States National Cemetery System. Veterans from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War rest here. Twenty-five Medal of Honor recipients may be interred here. This may be the highest number of any private cemetery.
Notice the Circle of St. John. It is also known as Masons Circle. Here stands the Schnider monument. It is a 35-foot high Corinthian column. It is dedicated to William B. Schnider. He was the Grand Tyler of Pennsylvania’s Central Grand Lodge.
Many organizations purchased large plots within Mount Moriah Cemetery. The Free and Accepted Masons were among them. Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and Elks also purchased plots.
Betsy Ross’s remains were moved to Mount Moriah in 1856. She was the famed flag maker. Her remains were moved from the Free Quaker Burying Ground. The Daughters of the American Revolution erected a flagpole at her grave.
In the early 1870s, Henry Jones sought burial here. He was an affluent African-American man. Initially denied due to his race, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in his favor in 1876.
The cemetery faced a unique challenge in 2011. It closed its gates with no known owner. The last board member had passed away. Overgrowth and disrepair set in. Illegal dumping became a problem.
Organizations stepped in to help. The Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery formed to restore the grounds. The Mount Moriah Cemetery Preservation Corporation gained receivership in 2014.
In January 2019, a strategic plan emerged. The goal was to transform Mount Moriah Cemetery into a nature sanctuary. It would be similar to Bartram’s Garden. It would also be like the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
Paulette Rhone was president of the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery. She passed away in February 2019. She was interred here. A section of Kingsessing Avenue was symbolically renamed “Paulette Rhone Place” in her honor.
In July 2024, nearly 500 sets of bones were reinterred here. They came from the former First Baptist Church cemetery. They had been unearthed during apartment construction.
As we leave Mount Moriah Cemetery, remember its layers of history. Remember its struggles and its resilience. It stands as a testament to the diverse lives. These lives have shaped Philadelphia.