Mikveh Israel Spruce Street Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

About

Get directions Spruce Street. near 8th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Coordinates: 39.94600, -75.15570
Cemetery ID:

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Following the death of a young daughter, Nathan Levy, a local merchant, applied for a small plot of land for a family burial site. Two years later, in 1740 he purchased a larger plot at the current site. It was expanded in 1752 and again in 1765. Ownership was disputed for years until 1828 when legislation was passed giving the burial grounds to the Jews of Philadelphia.

While not the oldest cemetery in Pennsylvania it is one of the oldest in the city and the third oldest in the State

The cemetery has the remains of Colonial and Revolutionary families to the extent that in 1959 by an act of Congress it was designated as an Independent National Historic Park and in 1971 it went on the National Register of Historic Places. The surrounding brick wall was actually used by the British to line up and execute those they thought to be traitors and scars of the bullets were visible for years.

Except for the Rev Elmaleh and his wife Fanny, who were buried in 1972 and 1966 respectively, the last burial was Hetty Pesoa in July 1886.

While not the oldest cemetery in Pennsylvania it is one of the oldest in the city and the third oldest in the State

Except for the Rev Elmaleh and his wife Fanny, who were buried in 1972 and 1966 respectively, the last burial was Hetty Pesoa in July 1886.