Historic Prospect Hill Cemetery Heritage Foundation

Prospect Hill Cemetery is more than a place for burial. It is a home of special remembrance for our nation, our community, and all the families who treat it as sacred ground. The list of patriots buried here begins with Philip Livingston, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and extends through Soldiers Circle – a federally owned site given after the Civil War as a final resting place for soldiers who died of their wounds after the Battle of Gettysburg – to today's tribute to fallen heroes from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In fact, our cemetery is the final resting place for patriots from EVERY war in which our country has fought.

Founded in 1849, the cemetery is part of the Victorian rural cemetery movement that saw large, beautifully landscaped properties developed to provide inspirational "green space" outside the teeming cities of early industrial America. Many prominent York County families embraced the concept and chose Prospect Hill for their family burial estates. A tour of the grounds becomes a walk through the history of our community. Today, Prospect Hill is our area's largest and most historic cemetery, composed of 170 acres in North York and Manchester Township. With over 60 acres of property still to be developed, the future of this community treasure promises to be as important as its distinguished past.

In 2008, the IRS recognized the importance of the historic nature of our cemetery and our need to raise funds to preserve that heritage, so they granted our foundation 501 (c) 3 status. This means that you can assist the cemetery by donating additional funds to either accomplish specific projects or add to our permanent care funds – and you can do that as a fully tax-deductible contribution! This is a marvelous tool for the cemetery to use to protect our important heritage. All of these efforts will allow us to continue the proud tradition of our cemetery, make it accessible as an educational resource and preserve the priceless beauty of our grounds, buildings, and monuments.

We offer public tours of our historic cemetery free of charge to over 300 York County residents every year; and typically also conduct 5-10 private tours (another 100-200 people) for local churches, schools, clubs and other organizations. The Foundation also sponsors several civic events throughout the year, such as our Afghanistan War Flag Memorial Recreation, Law Enforcement Community Remembrance Day (100-300 attendees), which honors York County Law Enforcement Officers who gave their lives in the line of duty and provides an opportunity for the community to positively interact with officers from each York County police dept and the York County Sheriff's Office, and our largest event, our Court of Valor and SafeKeepers Shrine Ceremony honoring veterans and first responders, which also serves as the York County 9/11 Memorial Program. This event typically draws 600-800 attendees and honors 15-20 Veterans, whose names are added to our Court of Valor as well as any York County first responders who gave their lives in the line of duty of the past year. Education opportunities, such as restoration workshops, are also offered. The Foundation also serves our community by maintaining the buildings and cemetery sections to retain their historic and educational value so they can continue to be shared with the York Community.

Our current project, the York County K-9 Officers Memorial, is in the fundraising stage and we hope to break ground soon. This beautiful memorial will be fabricated of black and gray granite and constructed at Prospect Hill Cemetery, to honor the service and dedication of the four-legged heroes who serve as canine officers and assist rescue and law enforcement departments throughout our community.

Standing over 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, the memorial features a large black granite panel, etched with the image of several breeds who are specially trained to serve and protect. In addition, two large granite panels will carry the names of past K-9 officers and the departments they served. Finally, 48 niches are provided for the permanent placement of the cremated remains of these canine heroes. 

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York County Community Foundation Stretch Pool