I am in Philadelphia and I hate doing the classic tourist stuff, so sorry, you won’t see a picture of the Liberty Bell, but this is pretty touristy as things go. This is Christ Church Burial Ground. I love cemeteries, they are so full of history, even if you don’t know anything about the people buried there, they have history for the people that knew them and the towns they are buried in.
This particular cemetery has history for all of us. Benjamin Franklin is buried here, as well as four other signers of the Declaration of Independence. Commodore William Bainbridge, Commodore of Old Ironsides, is buried here along with at least one other Commodore. There are prominent statesmen and important business men that were vital to the founding of this country.
From 1997 to 2003 the graveyard was closed, according to one of the people I spoke to it was abandoned and filled with rubbish and people looking for a place for the night. The Burial Ground has 1,400 markers. It is estimated that more than 5,000 markers have disappeared due to neglect of the place. It is almost impossible to read the grave markers due to neglect and weathering, fortunately, in 1864, the warden of Christ Church, Edward Lyon Clark compiled a book of all the inscriptions that were still visible on the fading soft marble markers. Today plaques have been placed in front of some of the gravestones that contain the words that once appeared on the now blank headstones.
If you are in Philadelphia, be sure to stop in and pay your respects, it was only $2.00 per person to visit, and well worth the respite and education.
