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Abandoned Cemeteries and Lost Burial Grounds with Edward Snyder
Seeing Death Clearly
In this episode, Jill McClennen speaks with Philadelphia-area researcher and photographer Edward Snyder about abandoned and forgotten cemeteries and what they reveal about dying, grief, legacy, and conscious living. Ed explains how his interest in cemetery art grew into decades of documenting burial practices and the death care industry, including stories of cemeteries destroyed, built over, or only partly moved, leaving human remains under streets, playgrounds, and parking lots. He cites the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum’s map of 200 historic burial sites. He describes cases like Monument Cemetery near Temple University and the First Baptist Church burial ground, where thousands may still remain. They discuss what can happen legally when construction finds remains, the dumping of tombstones along the Betsy Ross Bridge shoreline, neglect and restoration efforts at Mount Moriah, Mount Vernon, and Har Hasetim, and how green burials and community events can fund long-term care.
01:40 Cemetery Photography Obsession
04:51 How Many Hidden Burial Grounds
07:17 Monument and Lafayette Cemeteries
09:04 Construction Finds and the Law
11:09 Tombstones Dumped in Rivers
16:50 Grave Robbing at Mount Moriah
21:59 Turning Cemeteries into Green Space
27:48 Why Cemeteries Get Abandoned
29:12 Green Burial as a Lifeline
35:51 Camden Cemeteries and River Markers
https://thecemeterytraveler.blogspot.com/
Abandoned and Forgotten Cemeteries of Philadelphia and its Environs book on Amazon
“History Lives at Fort Mifflin” multi-author event
April 11, 2026, Fort Mifflin, 6400 Hog Island Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19153
“Abandoned Site Photography” Artist Talk Event with Ed Snyder and Veronika Schmude, April 15, 2026, Plays and Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
“The Challenge of the Abandoned Cemetery” presentation at the Spring 2026 Pennsylvania Chapter meeting of the Association for Gravestone Studies, May 2, 2026, Berks History Center, Reading, PA
Seeing Death Clearly episodes mentioned in this podcast:
How Natural Burial is Changing End-of-Life Planning with Ed Bixby
Reviving Philadelphia’s Forgotten Mount Vernon Cemetery with Brandon Zimmerman
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