Why Buy A Plot When You Can Buy The Whole Dang Cemetery ?!?!?!

[Naturally]

A dream come true! A historic cemetery for sale!​

Mount Vernon Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA ... 26.79 Acres ... $1,000,000
Yearly taxes are over $100,000
The Cemetery is the final resting place of numerous famous Pennsylvanians and their families.

Google Maps: Mount Vernon Cemetery

Listing on Zillow: Mount Vernon Cemetery

Listing on The Old House Life: Mount Vernon Cemetery

 

[Naturally]

And an interesting Wikipedia article: Mount Vernon Cemetery

- Established in 1856
- Contains over 18,000 graves
- No plots have been sold since 1968

 

[hearlady]

If I had money to burn I'd be tempted.

 

[Naturally]

So how does that work? ... plots were sold and people buried on their plots.
Don't they, their families and heirs collectively still own the cemetery?
If someone buys the cemetery and wants to clear out 18,000 graves, is that even possible?
If you owned the cemetery, how would you generate income to cover taxes of over $100,000 a year?

 

[Aunt Bea]

Interesting but sad that it can’t be exempt from taxes and maintained by some sort of historical non-profit.

We had an old German cemetery here that was sold and a supermarket was eventually built on the land.

Very sad!

German Ancestors of Syracuse/Onondaga, NY

 

[hearlady]

I'd say they own their plots which can't be sold or moved.
You'd have to be pretty rich or very entrepreneurial to make it work.

 

[Naturally]

Interesting but sad that it can’t be exempt from taxes and maintained by some sort of historical non-profit.

We had an old German cemetery here that was sold and a supermarket was eventually built on the land.

Very sad!

German Ancestors of Syracuse/Onondaga, NY

@Aunt Bea ... interesting and thoughtful that you mention that.
I'm still stumbling around the Internet concerning this property
And just located a site hosting a non-profit attempting to obtain ownership and steward a restoration
Mount Vernon Cemetery

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’m not sure how it worked with older cemeteries but today you purchase the right to be buried in a specific plot but you do not own the plot.

 

[Flarbalard]

I had a friend who lived a few houses from a cemetery, fairly large one, several city blocks in all directions. Sometime in the '80's it was sold and developed for duplexes. I have no idea what became of the interred.

 

[Naturally]

John Barrymore is buried there.
I think he is Drew Barrymore's grandfather.
She could buy it?

 

[jujube]

John Barrymore is buried there.
I think he is Drew Barrymore's grandfather.
She could buy it?

Also a lot of Drew's, who were relatives of the Barrymore. Easy to see where Drew Barrymore got her name.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

After watching "Poltergeist", ain't no way I'm going to peeve off that Home Owners Association.