19th century and nearby
Mount Vernon Cemetery (on the right) 's "Doctors, Druggists and Nurses" who helped fight the epidemic in
Portsmouth, Virginia a librarian and editor with interests in horticulture and real estate, who was distressed at the way his deceased daughter was interred at the
Arch Street Meeting House burial ground in Philadelphia. Smith wrote, "Philadelphia should have a rural cemetery on dry ground, where feelings should not be harrowed by viewing the bodies of beloved relatives plunged into mud and water." Smith joined forces with other prominent Philadelphia citizens including
Benjamin Wood Richards,
William Strickland and
Nathan Dunn to form the Laurel Hill Cemetery Company and create a rural cemetery three miles north of the Philadelphia border on the east bank of the
Schuylkill River. The group considered several locations but decided on the 32 acre known as "Laurel" or "Laurel Hill". The location was viewed as a haven from urban expansion and a respite from the increasingly industrialized city center. The city later grew past Laurel Hill, but the cemetery retained its rural character. Designs for the cemetery were submitted by William Strickland and
Thomas Ustick Walter but the commission selected Scottish-American architect
John Notman. The cemetery was developed and completed between 1836 and 1839. By the 1840s, Laurel Hill was an immensely popular destination and required tickets for admission. Writer
Andrew Jackson Downing reported "
nearly 30,000 persons…entered the gates between April and December, 1848." In 1844, due to increasing popularity, Laurel Hill purchased the 27-acre former estate of jurist
William Rawle, half a mile south and named it South Laurel Hill. In 1860, Laurel Hill Cemetery had an estimated 140,000 people visit annually. In 1861, the 21-acre estate of George Pepper between the two cemeteries was purchased and named Central Laurel Hill. The first burial occurred in 1870.
20th century in South Laurel Hill was built in 1913 In 1978, the Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery, a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded by descendants of John Jay Smith to support the cemetery. The mission of the Friends is to assist the Laurel Hill Cemetery Company in preserving and promoting the historical character of Laurel Hill. The Friends raise funds and seek contributed services; prepare educational and research materials emphasizing the historical, architectural and cultural importance of Laurel Hill Cemetery; and provide tour guides to educate the public. The organization was instrumental in Laurel Hill Cemetery's placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1998.
21st century in 1970 but was recovered and rededicated in Laurel Hill in 2013. In 2013, an 1883 bronze statue of a
Civil War soldier was moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery. Cast at the
Bureau Brothers Foundry, "The Silent Sentry" weighs 700 pounds and stands 7 feet, 2 inches high. It was installed in 1883 at the Soldiers' Home of Philadelphia burial plot in
Mount Moriah Cemetery. In 1970, thieves removed the statue from its base and attempted to sell it as
scrap metal to a scrap yard in
Camden, New Jersey, but the scrap dealer notified the authorities. It was recovered and repaired by the
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. In 2013, the statue was installed and rededicated in Laurel Hill Cemetery. Laurel Hill Cemetery is also an accredited
arboretum with over 6,000 trees and shrubs representing 700 species. The arboretum is a member of the
American Public Gardens Association. Laurel Hill Cemetery is a popular tourist destination that attracts thousands of visitors every year for historical tours, concerts, and physical recreation. ==Notable burials==