One of the broken headstones. (Photo courtesy of Woodlands Cemetery).
Very unsettling news has come in from Jessica Baumert, the Executive Director of the Woodlands Cemetery. The cemetery has been vandalized several times this week. Approximately 25 headstones, mostly dating from the late 19th-early 20th century, were toppled with many of them broken as a result. The discovery was made Monday afternoon by one of the cemetery volunteers. The total cost of damage is approximately $15,000.
Anyone interested in donating toward the repair of these headstones can do so through the Woodlands website: www.woodlandsphila.org, or by mailing a check to the Woodlands at 4000 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104. If you are interested in learning more about other ways you can help, please e-mail info [at] woodlandsphila.org.
The Woodlands is William Hamilton’s former Schuylkill River Estate, transformed in 1840 into a “rural” cemetery that is still an active cemetery today. It is the final resting place of many of the city and region’s accomplished individuals including artist Thomas Eakins, abolitionist Mary Grew, financier Francis Martin Drexel and surgeon Samuel Gross. The 54 acre grounds are open dawn to dusk for the enjoyment of the public.
February 8th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
The Woodlands is a beautiful place and a real asset to the neighborhood. West Philly folks, please help out anyway you can!
February 8th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
This is shocking and disheartening news. Who would do such a thing? It would be like desecrating a church or synagogue. The Woodlands is a lovely and historic place. Other famous people buried there include the Mr. Campbell who founded Campbell’s Soup, Admiral Porter a hero of The War Of 1812, Paul Philippe Cret a brilliant architect who designed the Ben Franklin Bridge, and Rembrandt Peale the painter who painted Thomas Jefferson’s best known portrait.
February 10th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Time to fix the fence and maybe get a new snarling dog to patrol the grounds at night, sad as that sounds.
February 10th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
The Woodlands Cemetery is a place that should elicit respect. It is also a gorgeous garden where the four seasons show themselves beautifully. Falling leaves, snow, spring buds, and then the full green of summer. Who in the world would want to wreck it, and why?
Not to mention desecrating the graves with vandalism; with campers in tents who “have to go” in the woods; with unleashed and unattended dogs leaving their waste over tombstones.
Treat the Woodlands Cemetery as if your own family were buried there.
February 10th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
So depressing, and scary, to think there are human beings out there who apparently find pleasure in pure vandalism–vandalism with no gain (nothing stolen), no risk (tomb stones are fairly defenseless), no individual target (well, except everyone), no credit (don’t know who did it). I mean I get some unfortunate acts like theft or beind dared to do something risky, but breaking 200yr old rock? Really? No respect.
February 11th, 2012 at 1:05 pm
This breaks my heart. How can people be so disrespectful of a) a cemetery, and b) a lovely green public space like that? Last week I came across two “campers” who had defecated ON a grave, and left toilet paper scattered all over. I was literally shaking with anger. They wouldn’t clean it up, so I did, disgusting as it was.
August 29th, 2013 at 6:44 am
I USED TO LIVE A FEW BLOCKS FROM WOODLAND CEMATERY AT
50TH AND CATHARINE,ST HOW ANYONE CAN DO SUCH A THING
TO A GRAVE IS TERRABLE.WHEN I WAS A KID WE DID NOT DO
STUFF LIKE THAT.I NOW LIVE IN CHARLOTTE,NC