There is always something new at West Laurel Hill. Check out the press page often to read the latest news and happenings at the Cemetery and with the staff!
Press
West Laurel Hill Cemetery Breaks Ground on New Jewish Section – Makom Shalom
LOWER MERION – Historic West Laurel Hill Cemetery, established as a profoundly different kind of burial place – a rural cemetery of distinct beauty and horticultural interest, announces yet anothe…
Cinema in the Cemetery: Watch movies among the gravestones in Philly and Bala Cynwyd
Gather some friends together or grab a date for the Friends of Laurel Hill & West Laurel Hill Cemeteries’ annual Cinema in the Cemetery series. On select summer nights, you can watch movies amon…
West Laurel Hill Cemetery to Open New Jewish Section
West Laurel Hill Cemetery opened a Jewish section in 2011 called Chesed Shel Emet, and it proved so successful that the Bala Cynwyd cemetery is breaking ground on a new Jewish section. To be called M…
Green burials are good for the environment. They might be even better for the soul
The hybrid model While Bixby happened upon a cemetery perfectly suited for green burials, undeveloped tracts of land for new burial grounds can be hard to come by. There are, however, plenty of exist…
What’s On & Online in Philly This Week & Weekend
Behind-the-scenes tours, new winter menus and free ice skating are on the agenda for this late February week in Philly, making for an exciting lineup of things to do as Black History Month continues. …
All the Life Thriving Among the Dead: Storied cemeteries strive to improve their biodiversity and climate impacts
Once upon a time, in early-19th-century America, people didn’t frequent parks; they recreated at cemeteries. Thanks to the so-called rural cemetery movement, expansive “groves of the dead” were …
Uncovering Murder on the Main Line and the Victims of Duffy’s Cut
A memorial was placed in West Laurel Hill Cemetery honoring the Irish immigrant railroad workers that were secretly murdered at Duffy’s Cut in Malvern. | Photo: Michael Bixler For more than 100 y…
“A Chat With” Nancy Goldenberg
Nancy Goldenberg, President & CEO of Laurel Hill Cemetery and West Laurel Hill Cemetery & Funeral Home sat down with CBS3’s Jessica Kartalija to discuss all things cemeteries in this October seg…
Ben Shibe once ruled Philadelphia baseball. But like the ballpark he built, his legacy has disappeared.
Toward the end of a June workday in 1976, after a Geppert Brothers crew had leveled most of abandoned Connie Mack Stadium, a lone sliver of the old ballpark, a main gate at 21st and Lehigh, stood in m…
Open Space & Recreation: Expanding Our Vision of Open Space and Trails
Open space, parks, and trails in Montgomery County provide an essential respite for residents to maintain their physical and mental health. However, overcrowding and limited access to parks during the…
Grave Images: A musical trip around Philadelphia’s historic cemeteries
Cemeteries are inherently interesting places. That’s true even when nobody of note is buried there. It’s the history, the architecture, the culture and religion, and the overall atmosphere. While …
President & CEO Awarded ASLA Honorary Membership
We are proud to share that our President & CEO, Nancy Goldenberg, has been awarded Honorary Membership from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Honorary Membership is among the greate…
Graveyards as green getaways
Similarly, Philadelphia’s Laurel Hill and its sister cemetery West Laurel Hill were founded in the 19th century as alternatives to the churchyards. In his diary in 1835, Laurel Hill’s founder John…
‘We ask forgiveness from the dead’: Why Jewish volunteers are washing bodies in a pandemic
Patricia Quigley, a funeral director at West Laurel Hill Cemetery and a member of the Reconstructionist Hevra Kadisha, said it’s just one of many mourning rituals that have been disrupted there, fro…
The New Normal: Challenges Faced by Cemetery Administrators
Our President & CEO, Nancy Goldenberg, participated on a virtual panel discussion about cemeteries in the time of COVID-19. The session covered “The New Normal: Challenges Faced by Cemetery Administ…
Tombstone Tourism is Booming
A curious thing is happening at some of the oldest urban cemeteries in the United States. They’ve become havens for cabin-fevered city-dwellers. Thousands of cooped up people are flocking to them ea…
Cemeteries see surge in visitors as people maintain social distancing amid coronavirus pandemic: ‘We need to get outside’
As cemeteries across the nation close their gates due to the coronavirus pandemic, some urban graveyards remain open, even extending their hours, to accommodate a surge in visitors seeking exercise an…
Jewish Death and Mourning Rituals in Philly Adjust to Epidemic
Pat Quigley, a funeral director at West Laurel Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home, has been a part of the Reconstructionist Chevra Kadisha of Philadelphia for almost 30 years. A chevra kadisha, a sacred s…
Live a Greener Life
Live a Greener Life It may sound morbid, but our carbon footprint continues to stomp along long after we die—unless we take the initiative to peace-out in the greenest way possible. Lucky for us, P…
2 historic Philadelphia-area cemeteries host citizen’s science walk for birds
On Saturday morning, Laurel Hill and West Laurel Hill cemeteries will team up with birding experts for the Great Backyard Bird Count, a free citizen science event that anyone is invited to take part. …
Celebrate Black History Month in Philadelphia With These Events, Tours, Exhibits, and More
TOURBlack History Month Walking TourWest Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd offers this guided walking tour paying tribute to black Americans both famous and underappreciated, from singing superstar …
Pet & Aquamation Services at West Laurel Hill
Corey from Mainline Business Community Podcast spends a few minutes speaking with Ginny, who works at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.She explains the aquamation process offered through West Laurel Cemetery…
West Laurel Hill Funeral Home Gets the Green Light
West Laurel Hill Funeral Home Gets the Green Light Management Company Awarded Small Business Advantage Grant for LED Lighting Replacement BALA CYNWYD, PA – December 2019 – The West Laurel Hill C…
West Laurel Hill Cemetery Gets Grant For Light Replacement
With new energy efficient lights, West Laurel Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home in Bala Cynwyd will save nearly $4,000 in annual savings. BALA CYNWYD, PA — West Laurel Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home i…