The Cheer Zone at Laurel Hill Cemetery

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November Tours

The Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery Present

HEROES KILLED IN ACTION:
OBSERVING VETERANS DAY

This tour will visit the final resting places of the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Learn about the people who died in battle in the Revolutionary War, the Indian Wars, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, in Korea, and in Vietnam. Their heroic exploits will be relived, explored and honored.

Heroes Killed in Action, a walking tour of Laurel Hill Cemetery commemorating Veterans Day, will take place on Sunday, November 8th at 2 PM. The tour will be guided by Dr. Anthony Waskie, a military historian and author, Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery board member, President of the General Meade Society of Philadelphia, and Professor at Temple University. The cost is $15/person, with discounts for students and members. Children are free.

The Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery Present

PHILANTHROPIC PHILADELPHIANS:
IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKS AND GIVING

Those familiar with the Philadelphia region are likely to recognize the names of Rittenhouse, Clothier, Gratz and Elkins, among many others. What few realize, however, is that each of these places and institutions can be traced to the legacies of real people: individuals and families who made their fortunes in developing and industrializing the city of Philadelphia. Greatness can be - and indeed should be - measured in more ways than one. While these early Philadelphians may most often be remembered for their keen business sense, unrivaled success and accumulated wealth, it is ultimately how they chose to utilize their influence and share their fortunes that measure their true greatness. They have surely earned their peaceful rest at Laurel Hill.

Learn about the philanthropic deeds of these do-gooders with big wallets and bigger hearts in Philanthropic Philadelphians, a walking tour of Laurel Hill Cemetery to take place on Saturday, November 21st at 2 PM. The tour will be guided by Dr. David Horwitz, historian, professor, and Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery board member. The cost of the tour is $15/person with discounts for students and members. Children are free.

New Seasonal Merchandise

Tombstone Cookie Cutters

Italian Steel Leaves

Limited Edition LHC Glass Ornaments

Philadelphia author Joanne Dahme's third work of young adult fiction features LHC!

October at Laurel Hill Cemetery

Don't miss the Fifth Annual Gravediggers' Ball!
Friday, October 2nd at 7PM

*Deadline for ticket purchases is Friday, September 25th

South Jersey Ghost Research and Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery Present
Dialogue of the Dead: A Paranormal Exploration of
Laurel Hill Cemetery
Saturday, October 3rd at 6 PM

Sinners, Scandals and Suicides
Sunday, October 11th at 2PM

Dining Amongst the Dead: BYOB Dinner & Tour
Saturday, October 17th
* At the time of this posting, the 8 PM seating is sold out.

1st Annual Rest in Peace 5k Run

Sunday, October 18th at 9 AM

Halloween Flashlight Tours
Friday, October 23rd and Saturday, October 24th
Tours depart from 7 PM to 9:30 PM

Fall Family Day
Sunday, October 25th at 1 PM

HK Memorial Patches Now Available

It's not too late to buy tickets to this year's Gravediggers' Ball, which will be held in honor of beloved long-time Philadelphia Phillies sportscaster, Harry Kalas. Can't make it to the Ball? The HK Memorial Patches are now available through Laurel Hill Cemetery's store.

In 2009, the Philadelphia Phillies players wore uniform patches in honor of Harry Kalas for the remainder of the season following his death. The black circular HK patches were located on the front of the jersey in the area of the heart. These embroidered patches measure 2" in diameter.

Civic Leader's "New Home": Old Cemetery

This month, Alexander "Pete" Hoskins assumes leadership of West Laurel Hill/Laurel Hill Cemeteries and Bringhurst/Turner Funeral Homes as president and chief executive officer of these entities. Gwen Kaminski (Director of Development & Programs) and Bill Doran (Superintendent) accompanied Mr. Hoskins on his first explorations of historic Laurel Hill Cemetery. Today, the ensuing story appeared on the front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and you can find it here.

Other Coverage from August:

The After Party: Laurel Hill Cemetery's Got Big Plans for the Dearly Departed (City Paper, 18 August)

Former Head of the Zoo Will Oversee Historic Cemeteries (Philadelphia Business Journal, 28 August)

September Tours

THE FRIENDS OF LAUREL HILL CEMETERY PRESENT

THE CEMETERY AND THE RIVER:
A TOUR AND BYOF PICNIC OVERLOOKING THE SCHUYLKILL

Since the cemetery’s founding in 1836, views of the Schuylkill River have remained a central component of our visual character, and a memorable part of the Laurel Hill experience for visitors of past and present. The site’s proximity to the river was perhaps the most important selling point for the cemetery’s founders. Landscape architect John Notman laid out the grounds so that visitors could enjoy scenic views upstream and downstream. The Lewis monument at Laurel Hill features a bas-relief carving of the river, its canal, and the Fairmount Waterworks. Before the construction of East River Drive, the cemetery’s property line extended right down to the water. Many early funeral-goers traveled to Laurel Hill via steamboat, once the vehicles started plying the river on a regular basis in the 1840s, embarking hourly on a circuit between Fairmount and the Falls of Schuylkill to empty a stream of lot-holders and sightseers at the cemetery. Our tour will explore these and many other connections between Laurel Hill and the River.

The Cemetery and The River, a walking tour of Laurel Hill Cemetery, will take place on Saturday, September 12th at 12:00pm. The tour will be guided by Dr. Michael Brooks, West Chester University professor, Laurel Hill Cemetery historian, and retired board member of the Friends. The program will be followed by a BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) picnic overlooking the river. Blankets, Beverages and Cold Storage for lunches will be provided. The cost of the program is $15 per person; $12 for members; $8 for students; and children are free.

THE FRIENDS OF LAUREL HILL CEMETERY PRESENT

IN THEIR OWN WORDS:
LAUREL HILL IN LETTERS AND DIARIES

As all students of history have experienced, the facts and events of the past can be very elusive. Even more mysterious, however, are the inner thoughts and experiences of the people who have passed before us. As you walk the grounds of Laurel Hill Cemetery, it is inevitable that questions arise regarding the private lives of the individuals resting within the family plots and beneath the tombstones and grave markers. What was it like to face your brother in battle during the Civil War, and defeat him? How did it feel to visit the grave of your newly departed husband for the first time? What led one of Philadelphia's most unusual philanthropists to devote his life and money to serving the underprivileged? Answers to these questions, and more, can often be found in personal letters, diaries and reminiscences. Original manuscripts found within Philadelphia's most notable libraries and archives will serve as the tantalizing point of entry into this walking tour of the lives of famous and not-so-famous Philadelphians resting in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Join us on Sunday, September 13th at 2 pm. The tour will be guided by Dr. Michael Brooks, West Chester University professor, Laurel Hill Cemetery historian, and retired board member of the Friends. The cost of the program is $15 per person; $12 for members; $8 for students; and children are free.

THE FRIENDS OF LAUREL HILL CEMETERY PRESENT

AN ARBORIST’S ANGLE:
THE SPECIMEN TREES OF LAUREL HILL CEMETERY

The location of Laurel Hill Cemetery is historically significant. As a child, John Jay Smith, Laurel Hill’s primary founder, had frequented the Schuylkill River estates of Philadelphia’s wealthy. It was in these settings, he later recalled, that he had “imbibed the love of trees and flowers” which had afforded him so much pleasure. Smith’s childhood stomping grounds would be the future site of Laurel Hill. His founding vision was realized in a cemetery that would not only serve as a place of rest and retreat, but also as a first-class Arboretum, whereat “one specimen…of every valuable tree and shrub which will bear the climate” could be found. Today, nestled within the bustling urban neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Laurel Hill continues to be a horticultural gem, a green refuge for birds and the various types of wildlife that make their home here.

An Arborist’s Angle, a walking tour through Laurel Hill Cemetery, will specifically examine the site’s specimen trees. The program will take place on Sunday, September 20th at 2:00pm. The program cost is $15 per person; $12 for members; $8 for students; and children are free.