Wildwood Cemetery (Pennsylvania)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Wildwood Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Wildwood Cemetery | |
| Details | |
| Established | 1863 |
| Location | |
| Size | 340 acres |
| No. of graves | Over 72,000 |
Wildwood Cemetery is a cemetery located in Loyalsock Township, Pennsylvania just north of the city of Williamsport. Wildwood was established in 1863 as the main cemetery for Williamsport and its surrounding communities. With a size of 340 acres it is the largest cemetery by size and grave count in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.[1][2]
The cemetery is split in two by Wildwood Boulevard/Cemetery Road. East Wildwood contains the cemeteries, crematorium, offices, and all of the larger public mausoleum. West Wildwood is where the military memorial and monument are located, as well as the Praying Hands mausoleum.[3]
The cemetery has an "escape burial hatch". Thomas Pursell, a local firefighter, wanted a burial arrangement for which he or his family could escape in case they were prematurely buried. The resulting design was heavily documented by media in Williamsport and the surrounding areas. There have been six other such hatched built in surrounding cemeteries based on Pursell's original.[4][5]
