skip to page content - In the 1830s, a group of influential
Philadelphians wanted to establish a rural cemetery that would
be naturalistic, serene, and in genteel seclusion. They settled
on Laurel Hill at 3822 Ridge Avenue, the former estate of
merchant Joseph Sims, which had rocky bluffs and spectacular
views and was about six kilometers from the city center. The
cemetery, built in 1836–39 after the designs of Scottish-born
architect and landscape designer John Notman, is seen in this
bird's-eye view of part of the grounds. This view shows horse-
drawn carriages and a hearse approaching and horse-drawn wagons
parked in front of the main gate. Tombs, monuments, and a
Gothic-style chapel line the landscape of the cemetery. The
print is by Edward J. Pinkerton, partner in Pinkerton, Wagner &
McGuigan, a Philadelphia lithographer active in the 1840s. The
firm mostly produced book and periodical illustrations and
experimented early with chromolithography. The lithograph
appeared as the frontispiece in the Guide to