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In Their Own Words: Laurel Hill in Letters and Diaries

Presented by Laurel Hill Cemetery - The Underground Museum at Laurel Hill Cemetery

September 13, 2009

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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 which 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.