Burial Places/Cemetery Issues – Map & Database

PAF Home
Back to Activities & Events
~~~

This page contains:
Burial Ground Database Introduction
PHMC/PAF ‘Burial Grounds Forum’ Round-up
PAF 5-Point Plan Addressing the Burial Places Problem
Burials In The News (links)
Archaeological Burial Research Reports to date (link)

 

THE BURIAL GROUND DATABASE: An Introduction

The Philadelphia Archaeological Forum database of historic burial grounds in the city.

…the earliest known discovery of unmarked human remains in Philadelphia dates back to 1743. Since 1800 there have been 85 separate, documented incidents of unmarked cemeteries in Philadelphia being impacted by construction at 52 different historic burial grounds (some had repeat offenses)…..
 
….Of these, 20 unmarked cemeteries have been affected since 1985 — the last time the Philadelphia Historical Commission’s ordinance was updated, granting it expanded rights to protect archaeological resources.

As longtime advocates for those who can no longer speak for themselves, the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum is actively communicating the need for clearer municipal laws that compel developers to handle burial remains respectfully. We have also created an extensive geographical database (GIS) that currently includes more than 200 historic burial places in Philadelphia.

It is PAF’s intention that, in addition to being useful to historians, archaeologists, and other researchers, consulting this database of known cemeteries and private family plots will become a starting point in the process of due diligence of both developers and the city of Philadelphia when considering new projects.

The database, originally the personal research of archaeologist Kimberly Morrell, has been assembled from historic maps, newspapers, academic theses and other sources. Research is ongoing, but the database is the most comprehensive such resource to date.

→Click here to go to the PAF Historic Burial Places Map and Database page where you can view the map and download the GIS database shapefile. (Included: ‘About the Map and Database’, ‘Critical points to keep in mind’, and ‘How to use the database map viewer and access burial ground information’)

—–

Read more about the Burial Places Map and Database:

 

PHILADELPHIA BURIAL ISSUES IN THE NEWS

Queen Village makes room for memorial to a historic African American burial ground, by Inga Saffron, June 7, 2018, Philly.com.

Lost In The Shuffle: Finding Philly’s Displaced Soldiers May 25, 2018,  by   Hidden City

U. will enlist expert to investigate African American burial ground found under Penn property, Daily Pennsylvanian, March 18, 2018

Beneath Penn property could lie the burials of West Philadelphia’s earliest black residents, Daily Pennsylvanian, March 1, 2018.

 

“The sites cover Center City almost like a bad case of measles.”

New online map points to the unmarked graveyards of Philly’s dead, Philadelphia Inquirer, Feb. 27, 2018

 

 

Read about Recent Philadelphia Burial Issues In The News…
Read about All Philadelphia Burial Issues In Past News…

 

RESEARCH AND REPORTING ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL BURIALS IN PHILADELPHIA (to date)

Find Research And Reporting On Archaeological Burials in Philadelphia here…

 

PHMC/PAF BURIAL GROUNDS FORUM (June 2017)

PAF’S  5-Point Plan Addressing the Burial Places Problem

 

burial

In this July 2017 Forum, Philadelphia Archaeological Forum President Doug Mooney provided a history of burial grounds ‘lost and found’ and impacted overtime. Philadelphia’s cemeteries have been repeatedly researched and mapped. Several examples of when burial places have been recorded were shared with the Forum audience, including this image of a 1940s register. Historical newspaper coverage was also used to demonstrate that the location of many cemeteries and burial places can be identified in records. One such example, from the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1889, identified 180 cemeteries in the city.

Version 2

More forum images…

 

The 5-Point Plan proposed by the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum during the Forum to deal with Philadelphia burial places:

1. Establish an official policy that historic burial places are important elements of the city’s historical legacy and are worthy of preservation.
2. Create a database/registry of all known historic cemeteries and burial places. (*underway)
3. List all historic burial places in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places as a Thematic District.
. Similar to existing Historic Streets Thematic District
. PHMC given full review authority; responsibility to require appropriate archaeological investigations.
4. Pass an ordinance establishing a process for treating unmarked burial places.
. Clear, concise, step-by-step guidelines, rules, and regulations
. Cemetery review made part of standard permitting process
5. Establish clear oversight and accountability roles for city agencies
. L&I given authority to compel compliance with established guidelines and to have responsible party petition the Orphan’s Court Division.
. Historical Commission authorized to provide oversight of cemetery/burial removal and relocation process, associated archaeological studies and
reporting.
. Add 1 or more qualified archaeologists to Phia. Historical Commission Staff; possessing necessary expertise to ensure all archaeological studies
are completed in accordance with established guidelines and professional standards.

Read more about the June 2017 proposed plan:

NEXTCITY’S story, Philadelphia Plans for Future Density Require Dealing With Historic Sites, written by Karen Chernick (October 25, 2017).


by