HISTORICAL NOTICES. 561 



SECTION VI. 



HISTORICAL NOTICES CONTINUED. 



very many years have passed, since from the 

 crowded and confined state of our public Burial 

 Grounds within our large cities, the question of extra- 

 mural interments excited great and earnest consider- 

 ation, arid eventually led to the establishment of Rural 

 Cemeteries. 



The first one of any importance, was that at Laurel 

 Hill, near Philadelphia, a most successful enterprise, 

 mainly due to the taste and perseverance of Mr. John 

 Jay Smith, of that city. This was followed by the one 

 at New Haven ; Mount Auburn, near Boston ; Green- 

 wood, at New York ; Spring Grove, near Cincinnati ; 

 two near Baltimore, &c., until there is hardly a city or 

 town of any size in the Union which does not possess 

 its Rural Cemetery. 



This was one of those grand improvements in civili- 

 zation, the importance and necessity of which was so 

 apparent, that it has since been universally adopted, and 

 may be fairly considered now one of our institutions. 



Another, and the next great step onward which is 

 now exciting much attention throughout the land, is 

 the establishment of Parks, which may be classified as 

 Public Parks, for the enjoyment of the People of our 

 Cities and larger Towns, as the Central Park in New 

 York, and Hunting Course Park, near Philadelphia; 

 semi-Public Parks, owned and enjoyed by the persons 

 who live around them ; and lastly, the Parks, or Orna- 

 mental Grounds, attached to our Public Buildings, 

 36 



