What is an absolute fact and not a rumor, but did not appear in the paper nor did it get discussed in public, is the planned sale of a large portion of the Knights of Pythias Greenwood Cemetery for this "Growth Spurt."

This has been getting quietly discussed behind the scene for quite some time now.

The plan [this is just a brief outline and may be inaccurate, as I am not privy to all the information] involves the sale or transfer of the Cemetery Company's Stock of the majority shareholders, Willow Ridge Ltd., and perhaps the stock of the minority shareholders "Friends of Greenwood Cemetery Inc."

It also involves a plan to restore the historic vernacular style "Mansion" that was popular in 19th-century back to it's original condition. This house once belonged to Dr. Benjamin Rush, and served as his summer residence for over 11 years, between 1781 to 1792.

The plan also involves some unsavory work on a touchy subject.: the development of the course of action in the forthcoming disinterment that will be necessary to accomplish the CTA expansion.

The plan is much more complex than what I outlined above, but with Happy Historians, Good Politicians, Bias Orphans' Court Judges, Friendly Civic Associations, Fresh Money, Treatment for Cancer, and the need of Jobs For The Living, who wants to stop progress?

This "Frankford Story" may actually have a happy ending after all.
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"What is History,' said Napoleon, 'but a fable agreed upon' - Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1848
"A Scottish philosopher once said that history is a set of lies agreed upon." - Enos Abijah Mills - 1920
"Napoleon said history is a set of lies agreed upon" - Modern day authors
"The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truth." - Jean de La Bruyère
Napoleon said none of the above. Tell me, what did Napoleon actually say about history?

IMO, this is good news.

Cancer Treatment Centers saved the Juniata/Northwood community from what is quite possibly going into Frankford hospital.

As long as whatever graves in the rear of the cemetery are disinterred respectfully, and find a new site where they can be marked, and actually visited, it seems like a win-win to me.

Hopefully there won't be a community battle over this.. and we have to watch CTC struggle with the decision to stay in Philly, or leave .. like FCCC.

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United we stand. Divided we fall.

That depends upon how much one respects the deceased.

There is something sinister about the prospect of having one's remains disinterred, just to make room for an adjacent commercial operation.

Cemeteries are supposed to exist in perpetuity--they are not "vacant land reserves" that can be tapped for other use in the future.

Who would bury their dead if they knew that some future owner of the cemetery would one day sell off part of the land?

These sorts of deals set bad precedents. How long before other cemetery owners find that they, too, can find buyers for the land that was supposed to house the remains of the deceased?

There was a presumption, when those souls' remains were given their final resting place, that it would indeed be a FINAL resting place. The fact that they may not have living relatives located in this area anymore is completely immaterial--our society owes them the dignity of leaving their remains alone.

Given that the current owners of the cemetery are morticians, one would have thought that they would have been more sensitive to the need for respect of the deceased. If they were unwilling to continue administering the cemetery sans on-site funeral home, they could have turned the property over to the Friends of Greenwood (I am almost certain that I read somewhere that there was an agreement made between Willow Ridge and F.O.G. that, in the event of the court refusing to uphold the variance, the cemetery would be turned over to F.O.G.)

Disinterring remains is definitely something that should be discouraged--in all places and at all times.

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WORK HARD! Millions of welfare recipients are depending on you.

It is very unfortunate, but it seems to happen a lot. Wawa built a gas station over a cemetary on rte. 309 near Montgomeryville. At least CTC would be more beneficial to humanity than a gas station and convenience store.

No one ever wants to see graves uprooted to make way for a commercial venture, however, I'm sure you'll agree, the conditions of the rear 30acres of Greenwood are hardly "respectable" by any stretch of the imagination.
These rear acres are not accessible. So, if you are unfortunate enough to have a loved one buried somewhere back there, forget about ever finding them.
The ground itself is so uneven, caskets jut out of the ground.
Even Friends of Greenwood could not possibly clear the overgrowth and make needed repairs to the ground and graves.

This is not a respectable final resting place for anyone.

Hopefully something can be worked out for all parties involved to give these unmarked, nameless souls a real resting place.

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United we stand. Divided we fall.

Are you talking about the former graveyard at the intersection of 309 & 202 / Upper State Road, right by the Montgomery Mall? If so, there's currently no Wawa there. That's not to say someone else won't build a convenience store on it.

This is not so simple a matter to decide. There are public policy issues at stake here.

Are we going to uproot graves whenever a well-financed buyer wants to take over some or all of a cemetery?

Do the deceased not have the right to rest in peace IN PERPETUITY?

Are there other options available to clean up a cemetery that has been allowed to fall into disrepair?

Can this decision be made by only one judge? Does the public not have a voice in this?

Can such a deal be made behind closed doors, with no accountability to the community or to the families of the deceased?

What safeguards will be in place to prevent this from becoming precedent-setting?

What, exactly, are cemeteries? Are they just parcels of land in out-of-the-way areas that can later be tapped for commercial expansion, at the expense of the interest of the deceased and thair families? Or are they areas that are SET ASIDE, IN PERPETUITY to hold the remains of those that have gone before us?

Society makes a commitment when it sets aside land for a cemetery--a commitment that endures down to succeeding generations. We should not be thinking about disturbing the remains of the dead, just so a commercial operator can expand its operation (and CCA is most definitely a COMMERCIAL operation.)

This is another Philadelphia trademark deal where everything has been worked out behind closed doors, before the citizenry was informed. It is no wonder that so many of Philadelphia's better families have just thrown up their hands and have moved away.

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WORK HARD! Millions of welfare recipients are depending on you.

It's not like it has not happened before.

All the grave stones from Monument Cemetery have been dumped as land fill at the foot of the Betsy Ross Bridge and Frankford Creek.
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"What is History,' said Napoleon, 'but a fable agreed upon' - Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1848
"A Scottish philosopher once said that history is a set of lies agreed upon." - Enos Abijah Mills - 1920
"Napoleon said history is a set of lies agreed upon" - Modern day authors
"The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truth." - Jean de La Bruyère
Napoleon said none of the above. Tell me, what did Napoleon actually say about history?

After decades of shady characters with their dodgy plans, this one at least seems respectable and beneficial.

I walked Greenwood a few summers ago. It was definitely fascinating, but was also very hopeless. Much like the mortal coils of those buried, much of Greenwood has returned to ashes and dust.

The dead obviously can't maintain the grounds and the living are disinterested. To be fair though, how many of us know where our great grandparents are buried?

Like it or not, societies have been building over cemeteries for centuries. Not to be disrespectful of the dead, but once you're dead, you're dead, and your rights pretty much go with you.

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"Things are starting to get interesting right about now"

Scoats - publician, writer, artist.

All comments made by me on his board are given freely and probably worth what you paid for them.

Not trying to be disrespectful of the dead, but doesn't anyone else feel that the "modern-day" burial is antiquated?

Embalming fluid (formaldehyde) doesn't biodegrade and pollutes the earth. This practice was started as a way to preserve soildiers remains until they could be shipped home.

I believe the Social Security building on Spring Garden Street is built over an old cemetery. How's that for irony?

I think we all kind of know where things should be heading:
Green Cemeteries Just my 2 cents worth.