Wilmington & Brandywine Cemetery, Wilmington

Established in 1843 by Sam Wollaston, the Wilmington & Brandywine Cemetery was one of Delaware’s earliest non-sectarian burial grounds. Originally laid out on ten acres just beyond the city’s boundaries, the cemetery quickly gained support and expanded under the guidance of engineer George Read Riddle, with Willard Hall leading the managing company. What began as a modest plot now spans nearly 30 acres and holds over 21,000 burials. A cedar of Lebanon, planted at the entrance in 1850 by James Canby and imported from Palestine, serves as a living symbol of the site’s enduring legacy.

The grounds encompass a broad swath of Delaware’s civic and military history. Buried here are governors, senators, and veterans of the First World War, along with ordinary citizens. A dedicated section known as the Soldier’s Graveplot honors 121 Union soldiers who died from injuries or illness during the Civil War while at the nearby Delaware Hospital. The cemetery’s chapel, constructed in 1913 from Foxcroft stone with Indiana limestone accents, was designed by architect Elijah Dallett Jr. In 1917, remains from the 18th-century First Presbyterian Church in Rodney Square were reinterred here when the church was relocated to make room for a new library.

Wilmington & Brandywine Cemetery is marked by both humble gravestones and elegant mausoleums, creating a landscape shaped by memory and time. Preservation efforts continue into the present, supported by initiatives like the Eternal Rest 5K Walk/Run, which raises funds for ongoing maintenance and restoration.