Laurel Hill Cemetery: The Underground Museum
(215) 228-8200
3822 Rdg Ave
Philadelphia,
PA
19132
40.0033
-75.1875
Neighborhoods: North Philadelphia, Allegheny West
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The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short
Before Fairmount Park existed, 19th-century picnickers came to Laurel Hill to escape the city and stroll amid the rolling hills tumbling down to the Schuylkill. Today admission's still free, but no picnicking allowed. It's the monuments and mausoleums (many visible from Kelly Drive) that give the place its singular character, though. A hodgepodge of Gothic, Art Nouveau, Egyptian and Greek Revival, it all adds up to a glorious celebration of the sublime. Several of the signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here. So is architect Frank Furness, civil engineer Charles Ellet and Joseph Wharton, founder of Penn's CEO incubator.
The Details on Laurel Hill Cemetery: The Underground Museum
The Extras:
Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30am to 1:30pm, the Friends of Laurel Hill (215 228-8817) conducts tours of the cemetery, pointing out the more fantastic structures.
Know Before You Go:
John Notman, who designed the hundred-odd acres of Laurel Hill, planted at least one specimen of every rare tree that could grow in this climate.
