Deathly Decayed's Journal

The blight of Mount Moriah Cemetery

https://deathly-decayed.livejournal.com/199064.html

Hello everyone, this is my first post here so perhaps I should introduce myself.
My name is Rusty, and I document abandoned locations via photographs.
My lady-friend Christina is often along with me and films video of wherever we find ourselves.
I have been posting to the "AbandonedPlaces" community for some time now,
but yesterday was my first time posting an abandoned cemetery...

blackrayne took notice of it and directed me here.
From the small bits I have seen thus far, this seems like a very unique community.
One that I'm happy to now be a part of...

Now, on to the entry.

The Mount Moriah Cemetery was established March 27, 1855
by an act of Pennsylvania Legislature.
Originally 54 acres, it now sprawls 380 acres in southwest Philadelphia.
The cemetery was designed around the "rural ideal" that was very popular at the time.
Upon entering the property you were greeted by an ornate
Romanesque entrance and gatehouse constructed of brownstone.
Noted Philadelphia architect of the time, Stephen D. Button designed this grand entrance.

Today the once beautiful graveyard has fallen from it's former grace.
It has come to be surrounded by low-income housing in a high-crime area of the city.
Due to lack of funding for proper maintenance, rampant growing ivy,
thorn bushes, and trees have reclaimed the once beautiful hillside.
So bad is the over-growth that one may trip over a hundred year old headstone
while walking through what looks to be an overgrown field.
Trees rip and topple grand monuments, and thorns hide away countless graves.
Over 5,000 veterans are buried in this tangled jungle of thorns,
some dating back to the Civil War.

There is much beauty to be found here, however it is but a thin veil over the disgrace.

In 2004
Mount Moriah Cemetery was placed on
"Preservation Pennsylvania's Most Endangered Historic Properties"

In 2005 it made it's way onto
"The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia's Endangered Properties" list.

As always, filmed by Christina

deadgirl1307, edited by the both of us...
*Watch in HD if at all possible*

I hope everyone enjoyed my first post here.
Now that I know about this community I will try to post here as often as I can...
~Rusty