TAKE A
TOUR
AMERICA'S FIRST PARKS
In the 1800s, many cemeteries were beautifully landscaped parks that were popular as tourist destinations. Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, was founded in 1838 as one of America’s first rural cemeteries. By 1860, there were 500,000 visitors a year, rivaling Niagara Falls as the countries greatest tourist attraction.In 1831, Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was founded as “a natural setting for the commemoration of the dead and for the comfort and inspiration of the bereaved and the general public.”
In the 1850s, with little land set aside for public use in Chicago, private cemeteries charged a fee to picnickers and did a booming business. Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia is another example of the romantic Victorian style landscaping.
Take a moment to enjoy the various monuments, landscaping, and sweeping views.
WALK THROUGH HISTORY.
Learn about our historic chapel and mausoleum, George Taylor, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Traill Green, founder of the Easton Cemetery, a medal of honor recipient from the Civil War, the founders of Lafayette College, and many Easton notables.
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Grab a tour booklet on the porch of the cemetery office near the N. 7th Street entrance to the Easton Cemetery. Or familiarize yourself ahead of your visit and download from the links below.
SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR.
The Cemetery is divided into sections which are indicated by letters of the alphabet. Follow the map on the inside back cover. This will help you locate sites of interest. Allow about an hour or so if walking. As you continue the tour, you will see fine examples of funerary art, most carved by hand. Although the pas- sage of time has worn away some of the intricate details, what remains is priceless and meaningful. Later in this booklet, you can learn about the symbolism behind some of this artwork. (Note: the Self-Guided Tour was created prior to the merger of Easton Cemetery and Easton Heights Cemetery, and focuses on the oldest sections of Easton Cemetery.)
Pick up a hard copy on the porch of the Superintendent’s office (just outside of the main gate at 401 N. 7th Street) or view it online.
SELF-GUIDED LAFAYETTE
COLLEGE “NOTABLES” WALKING TOUR.
This special walking tour is our tribute to the remarkable men and women who have helped make Lafayette College so special and to the College itself for being such an important part of Easton. Copies are available on the porch of the Superintendent’s office (just outside of the main gate at 401 N. 7th Street) or view it online.