For the most part, historic burial grounds do not get the same attention that is paid to birthplaces or battlegrounds. In Pennsylvania, some historic cemeteries have been relocated and the land redeveloped; other sites are neglected and overgrown; and some have been completely lost.
The most at-risk cemeteries in the state include burial grounds from Philadelphia to Westmoreland County, to Venango, Potter and Lackawanna counties. They range from pioneer burial sites to Civil War graves to late-19th century memorial parks.
On the list of priorities for historic preservation, cemeteries tend to rank low. But there is some movement to protect the sacred grounds.
"These places deserve to be saved," said Carla Zambelli, who is working to research and preserve a long-overlooked graveyard in East Whiteland Township, Chester County. "Those people meant something to someone."
Keystone Crossroads is a statewide public media initiative reporting on the challenges facing Pennsylvania's cities. WPSU is a participating station.