Incorporated in 1844, the Allegheny Cemetery is the sixth oldest
rural cemetery in the United States. It has been expanded over the years and now encompasses 300 acres (120 ha).[5]
Allegheny Cemetery memorializes more than 124,000 people.[7] Some of the oldest graves are of soldiers who fought in the
French and Indian War. Their remains were reinterred here, moved from their original burial site at
Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. Many notables from the city of
Pittsburgh are buried here. The cemetery was among those profiled in the
PBS documentary A Cemetery Special.[5]
In 1834, three members of the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Dr. J. Ramsey Speer, Stephen Colwell and John Chislett Sr. determined to establish a rural cemetery near Pittsburgh. Dr. Speer later visited several famous rural cemeteries,
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston,
Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, and
Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. In 1842 the group selected the 100-acre farm of Colonel Bayard for the site. An Act of Incorporation passed the Pennsylvania Legislature and was signed by Gov.
David R. Porter on April 24, 1844.[8]
Mt. Barney was selected as the site of a memorial to naval heroes in 1848, and Commodore
Joshua Barney and Lt. James L. Parker were reinterred there. On Memorial Day, 1937, a new memorial was unveiled at Allegheny Cemetery, dedicated to the more than 7,000 servicemen buried here.[8]
Notable interments
The Butler Street entrance (1870 portion)The 1848 portion of the
Butler Street Gatehouse (located beside the 1870 portion of the Butler Street entrance shown in the above picture)The Penn Avenue Gatehouse, built in 1887The cemetery has many hills, lakes, and wooded areas.
Jared M. Brush (1814–1895), Mayor of Pittsburgh (1869–72)
Eben Byers (1880–1932), wealthy American industrialist and socialite noted for his gruesome death caused by consumption of the radioactive
patent medicineRadithor.
William J. Diehl (1845–1929), politician and Mayor of Pittsburgh (1899–1901)
Samuel Diescher (183–1915), engineer who designed the
Duquesne Incline and the majority of such projects in Pennsylvania and the US, also designed many industrial projects
James McCord (1822–1894), millionaire owner of the oldest hattery west of the Allegheny Mountains and member of the
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
George Shiras Jr. (1832–1924), United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
Jacob B. Sweitzer (1821–1888), Pennsylvania lawyer and soldier. He commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division/5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Gettysburg
^Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009(PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-30.
Incorporated in 1844, the Allegheny Cemetery is the sixth oldest
rural cemetery in the United States. It has been expanded over the years and now encompasses 300 acres (120 ha).[5]
Allegheny Cemetery memorializes more than 124,000 people.[7] Some of the oldest graves are of soldiers who fought in the
French and Indian War. Their remains were reinterred here, moved from their original burial site at
Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh. Many notables from the city of
Pittsburgh are buried here. The cemetery was among those profiled in the
PBS documentary A Cemetery Special.[5]
In 1834, three members of the Third Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Dr. J. Ramsey Speer, Stephen Colwell and John Chislett Sr. determined to establish a rural cemetery near Pittsburgh. Dr. Speer later visited several famous rural cemeteries,
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston,
Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, and
Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. In 1842 the group selected the 100-acre farm of Colonel Bayard for the site. An Act of Incorporation passed the Pennsylvania Legislature and was signed by Gov.
David R. Porter on April 24, 1844.[8]
Mt. Barney was selected as the site of a memorial to naval heroes in 1848, and Commodore
Joshua Barney and Lt. James L. Parker were reinterred there. On Memorial Day, 1937, a new memorial was unveiled at Allegheny Cemetery, dedicated to the more than 7,000 servicemen buried here.[8]
Notable interments
The Butler Street entrance (1870 portion)The 1848 portion of the
Butler Street Gatehouse (located beside the 1870 portion of the Butler Street entrance shown in the above picture)The Penn Avenue Gatehouse, built in 1887The cemetery has many hills, lakes, and wooded areas.
Jared M. Brush (1814–1895), Mayor of Pittsburgh (1869–72)
Eben Byers (1880–1932), wealthy American industrialist and socialite noted for his gruesome death caused by consumption of the radioactive
patent medicineRadithor.
William J. Diehl (1845–1929), politician and Mayor of Pittsburgh (1899–1901)
Samuel Diescher (183–1915), engineer who designed the
Duquesne Incline and the majority of such projects in Pennsylvania and the US, also designed many industrial projects
James McCord (1822–1894), millionaire owner of the oldest hattery west of the Allegheny Mountains and member of the
South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club
George Shiras Jr. (1832–1924), United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
Jacob B. Sweitzer (1821–1888), Pennsylvania lawyer and soldier. He commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division/5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Gettysburg
^Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009(PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-30.