Benjamin Franklin's grave, Christ Church Burial Ground |
It is one of the nation’s few surviving Colonial and
Revolutionary War-era burial grounds, and right in the midst of the tourist
district. While I’m sure this cemetery has many a first-class tale to tell, I’m
approaching it from the tourist’s perspective. This is where Ben Franklin’s
grave is, and on it visitors toss pennies (“A penny saved is a penny earned”).
But there’s a lot more to Christ Church Burial Ground than that. For one thing,
you have to pay to get in! Three dollars! If you arrive at the right times,
however, you may hit one of the guided tours.
One of the odd and quirky things about Franklin’s grave is
his self-penned epitaph, which is engraved on a bronze plaque near the grave
(you can only see it from the inside of the cemetery):
B. Franklin,
Printer;
Like the
Cover of an old Book,
Its Contents
torn out,
And stript
of its Lettering and Gilding,
Lies here,
Food for Worms.
But the Work
shall not be wholly lost:
For it will,
as he believ’d, appear once more,
In a new
& more perfect Edition,
Corrected
and amended
By the
Author.”
While Christ Church Burial Ground is the only cemetery I know
of that charges an admission fee, don’t hold it against the city (there are
certainly worse things you can rant about, such as the Parking Authority). The
City of Philadelphia does not own Christ Church Burial Ground – it is owned and
operated by Christ Church, which is a few blocks away at Second and Market
Streets. The money goes to the upkeep of BOTH cemeteries – the older one
surrounding the church (which was established in 1695). The one near the mint was
opened in 1719 as an expansion of the churchyard cemetery “on the outskirts of town.”
Interesting to note that Philadelphia only stretched from the Delaware River to
Sixth Street at that time!
Weathered marble headstones at Christ Church Burial Ground |
Bronze plaques help identify badly worn stones |
The cemetery is gated and locked outside visiting hours (11:30 am – 3:30 pm). During visiting hours, a stand is set up at the entrance with many books for sale, including a reprint of the book compiled in 1864 by the warden of Christ Church, Edward Lyon Clark, “of all the inscriptions that were still visible on the fading soft marble markers.”