In November 2005, I had the opportunity to travel to NYC with my daughter for her college theater auditions. I was excited and nervous to go. I had never been to NYC before! Though I grew up in the big city of Chicago, the stories of NYC had me scared to even go.While planning our trip the first thing I wanted to do was go to a few of the older cemeteries. Of course, I figured my daughter and her friend would never want to go with me.
When we arrived, our hotel room in Battery Park was not ready. We took that opportunity to walk all of lower Manhattan. During our walk we happened upon a few of the cemeteries I wanted to see. Luckily, the girls had no problem walking through and looking at the history that was around them. The first church we walked into was Trinity Church. It was absolutely beautiful! Above is the grave of Alexander Hamilton, signer of the Declaration of Independance.
Inscription reads:
Alexander Hamilton
The Corporation of Trinity Church has erected this
Monument
In testimony of their respect
for
The PATRIOT of incurrupable INTEGRITY
The SOLDIER of approved VALOUR
The STATESMAN of consummate WISDOM
Whos TALENTS and VIRTUES will be admired
Grateful posterily
Long after this MARBLE shall have moldered into
DUST
He died July 12 1804, aged 47
Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia has signers of the declaration. I want to see that cemetery. They even have tours in it. The website is http://www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org/index.php?flash=1 and this place looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteYou know, seeing history at a tombstone, either national or local, is so much fun. It makes you feel good that you visited someone that had a hand in history. I recently found the grave site of Max Hess Jr, one of the owners of Hess' Brothers is Allentown. I'm so excited that I found it.
Becky, I agree with you! Even when I go through some of our local cemeteries in Chicago. But I truly enjoy the old historical, such as Alexander Hamilton. I hope to be able to go back to NY, there are other cemeteries there that I would love to be able to stroll through.
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