Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is a VA national cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. VA lists it as closed to new burials. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Mount Moriah Cemetery was established by the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1855, one of several rural cemeteries developed in Philadelphia between 1845 and 1860. Located on the southwestern edge of the city, the private cemetery originally consisted of 54 acres. Over time it has grown to 380 acres spanning both sides of Cobbs Creek. Due to the massive size of the cemetery, many churches and other organizations have established smaller lots within its bounds. A majestic gatehouse provides entrance into to the cemetery. Designed by local architect Stephen D. Button in 1855, the Romanesque gatehouse is fabricated from brownstone.

Notable headstones in the cemetery include a granite marker constructed in the shape of the Civil War iron-clad ship, the USS Monitor. The headstone memorializes William Rowland, a sailor on the USS Minnesota, which was protected by the Monitor from the CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack) at the Battle of Hampton Roads.

For a time Mount Moriah Cemetery held the remains of Betsy Ross, reputed maker of the American flag. However, leading up to the local celebration of the 1976 Bicentennial, her remains were moved to Arch Street near the Betsy Ross house.

In the early 1870's, an African-American named Henry Jones purchased a lot in the cemetery. After his death, cemetery authorities turned away his funeral procession at the gate, on the basis of his race. A lawsuit was filed against the Mount Moriah Cemetery association on his behalf, and in 1876 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jones' right to burial in the cemetery.

Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot is located in section 200, lot 1, of Mount Moriah Cemetery, and is sometimes referred to as the Civil War Hospital Plot. The 404 soldiers buried in this lot died in Philadelphia hospitals from injuries or disease during the Civil War. Initially, the soldiers' lot included the remains of many Confederate soldiers, but in 1885 all but two were exhumed and re-interred at Philadelphia National Cemetery. In 1906 the Office of the Quartermaster General halted re-interments between the two cemeteries.

The National Cemetery Administration has jurisdiction over this section of the cemetery and the Naval Plot.

Directions

From Philadelphia International Airport take 95 North to Island Avenue West, this changes to Cobbs Creek Parkway. Rear entrance of cemetery is off Cobbs Creek Parkway. Follow cemetery road to the left to Soldiers Plot.

Flowers and grounds rules

Our cemetery floral and grounds policies exist only to reflect the honor and respect we hold for our Nation's Veterans, by preserving the dignity and solemnity of their final resting place.

We welcome and encourage fresh-cut flowers throughout the year. Temporary floral containers are located throughout the cemetery for public use. Floral arrangements will be removed when they become withered, faded, or unsightly. During the mowing season, floral arrangements shall be removed weekly to facilitate mowing operations. Floral arrangements shall not stand taller than the headstone.

Education and visiting programs

More than half of VA's national cemeteries originated with the Civil War and many are closed to some burials. Other sites were established to serve World War veterans and they continue to expand. Historic themes related with NCA's cemeteries and soldiers' lots vary, but visitors should understand "Why is it here?" NCA began by installing interpretive signs, or waysides, at more than 100 properties to observe the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011–2015). Please follow the links below to see the interpretive signs for Mount Moriah Soldiers' Lot.

A National Cemetery System Mount Moriah Soldiers' Lot

Who can be buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

• A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government-provided burial liner
• A government-provided headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

VA lists Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot directly at 215-222-7510.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

• Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
• Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
• Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Pennsylvania law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Pennsylvania and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, by straight-line distance:

• Mount Moriah Cemetery Naval Plot, Philadelphia, PA: 0 mi, closed to new in-ground burials
• Philadelphia National Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA: 10 mi, closed to new in-ground burials
• Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, NJ: 19 mi, closed to new in-ground burials