Montgomery Cemetery in Winter [Photos]

As listed in the Norristown Patch directory, Montgomery Cemetery is a historic formal garden-type cemetery that has been in existence for over 150 years. The Historical Society of Montgomery County (HSMC) owns and maintains the site, which is no longer an active cemetery, and oversees its continuing restoration.

According to the HSMC website, the long process of restoration came when HSMC took over care of the site in the 1990s, “after years of neglect, vandalism and wear had taken their toll.”

The restoration effort will help return the cemetery to is former beauty and purpose, to provide a public space that honors notable past Montgomery County residents.

Among those interned in the cemetery are several Civil War generals, including the mausoleum of Winfield Scott Hancock and the obelisk monument of John Frederick Hartranft, also a Civil War Union general and the 17th governor of Pennsylvania.

While the garden-type cemeteries were meant as a haven from urban heat during the 1800s, the cemetery remains open year-round. Montgomery Cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours.

The above photo gallery are a few snapshots of grave markers of famous individuals interned in the cemetery, as well as a few glimpses of the beauty and tranquility that a formal garden-type cemetery offers the public. 

For more information about Montgomery Cemetery, visit the HSMC website or call 610-272-0297.