Christ Church Burial Ground
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Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah. Five signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried there, with two more buried at Christ Church just a few blocks away.
The cemetery belongs to Christ Church, the Anglican church founded in 1695 and place of worship for many of the famous Revolutionary War participants, including George Washington. The burial ground is located at 5th and Arch Streets. The land for it was purchased in 1719.
The cemetery was reopened to the public in 2004, after having limited access since 1976. Tens of thousands of visitors flow through each year, many leaving pennies on Franklin's grave. [1]
Other famous people buried at Christ Church Burial Ground are:
- Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- Commodore William Bainbridge, Naval hero of War of 1812, captain of "Old Ironsides"
- Dr. Thomas Bond, co-founder of Pennsylvania Hospital
- Dr. Philip Syng Physick
- Commodore Thomas Truxtun, commander of the Constellation
- Francis Hopkinson, signer of the Declaration of Independence, musician, judge
- George Ross, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- Joseph Hewes, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- John Cadwalader, congressman and judge