PENNSYLVANIA
Washington Crossing National Cemetery
Washington Crossing National Cemetery is a U.S. national cemetery in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, established in 2009 and managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. It was created to provide additional burial space for veterans and their families in the Philadelphia region as older national cemeteries reached capacity.
The cemetery is designed in the traditional national style, with wide landscaped grounds, orderly rows of headstones, memorial walkways, and committal shelters for services. It offers both casket burials and cremation interments, including columbarium niches. As with all national cemeteries, eligible veterans, active-duty service members, and certain family members are buried here at no cost. Its proximity to the historic site of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River adds symbolic significance.
The cemetery hosts ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, honoring military service with formal remembrance events.
Notable burials include Tom Gola, Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA champion; Michael G. Fitzpatrick, former U.S. Congressman; Harold Johnson, world light heavyweight boxing champion; and George Benton, boxer and elite trainer. It also includes Mildred J. Dalton, a decorated WWII Army nurse, along with actress Sara Seegar and veteran James Moore, father of singer P!nk.
Overall, the cemetery serves both as a resting place for thousands of veterans and as a reflection of a wide range of American lives connected by military service and public contribution.
Erie Memorial Gardens
Erie Memorial Gardens in Erie, Pennsylvania is a large, modern lawn-style cemetery and memorial park located along Edinboro Road. It was established in the mid-20th century and has grown into one of the main burial grounds serving Erie County.
The cemetery is designed with landscaped grounds, flat memorial markers in many sections, and a more park-like layout compared to older traditional cemeteries. It offers a range of burial options including ground burials, mausoleum entombment, and cremation memorials.
It’s known locally for being well-maintained and easy to navigate, and it also includes a veterans’ section with memorial features, including a notable retired military aircraft display visible from nearby Interstate 90.
Overall, it functions as a community cemetery for Erie-area residents rather than a historic or celebrity burial site.
