Photography is so cliche' anymore. It is quite disappointing in its own way how everyone sees themselves as a photographer thanks to affordable SLRs, I-Phones, and Instagram. I never claimed to be an expert as I can barely maneuver my SLR in manual mode, yet, I still find myself thoroughly enjoying a quite ride in the morning searching for a spot to snap a few photos.One such recent morning I decided to forgo my morning session at the gym for a quiet bike ride into Olde City. I wandered into the Olde Pine Cemetery early enough to take it all in without the sounds of traffic and kids heading to school for the day. It was quite nice. Peaceful. Inspiring.
There are so many cemeteries in Philadelphia, many of which have been holding their dead since the 1700s. Olde Pine is one of the such. Burials began in 1764 as soon as Thomas and Richard Penn (the sons of William Penn) deeded property at 4th and Pine Streets to a group of Presbyterians. The Church that sits to the corner of the lot had yet to even be built before plots were dug and graves were filled. The site holds over 200 Revolutionary War soldiers, masons, doctors, lawyers, tradesmen and even signers of the Constitution. Unfortunately, many simply remark on how the film National Treasure was filmed there and disregard the number of thirteen star flags peering up at them.
The site is beautifully kept with flowers adorning areas around the graves and ivy neatly falling over the walls. If you are ever a visitor to the area and unfamiliar with the history, I would recommend booking one of the tours of the churchyard. Also, if you are brave, you could opt for the ghost tour of the area.
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