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PARK AND CEMETERY 
The Riverside Cemetery of Norristown, Pa. 
The Riverside Cemetery is most beautifully sit- 
uated on the banks of the Schuylkill River about 
VIEW IN RIVERSIUE FROM ENTRANCE. 
one mile above Norristown ; hence the name Riv- 
erside. 
As is seen from the picture taken from the en- 
trance a splendid view is obtained of the Chester 
Valley, which meets the Schuylkill Valley on the 
opposite side of the river from the cemetery. 
To the left of the same picture a glimpse of the 
Schuylkill River is to be seen. 
No more ideal spot for a cemetery could be 
found. The land being high and dry, very pic- 
turesquely situated, and from the rolling nature of 
the ground perfect drainage is obtained. 
The accompanying views will illustrate what 
can be done in a comparatively short time with 
very little capital, judiciously expended. The 
views were taken about two years from the time 
ground was first broken for cemetery purposes, but 
the improvements were completed in about eight 
months. 
The Cemetery Company own and control about 
fifty acres of land, twenty-five of which is enclosed 
and improved. The total amount of capital origi- 
nally expended was $ 20 , 000 , of which sum $10,000 
was spent in purchasing the twenty-five acres 
clear of encumbrance, $ 8,000 for permanent im- 
provements, $ i ,000 for building the approach to 
the grounds and $1,000 for securing other land for 
future enlargement 
As stated before the ground is gently rolling, 
with a ravine on the eastern side in wh ch a minia- 
ture lake has been constructed. 
The avenues are built on the Telford-Macadam 
principle ; the bottom stone being quarried on the 
grounds, while fine crushed bastard marble was 
purchased for the top dressing, the light color mak- 
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ing a finer contrast with the surrounding lawns ; 
than the stone obtained on the grounds. 
The cemetery is managed strictly on the land- ; 
scape lawn plan. No enclosures~of any kind are 1 
allowed. Corner stones are set flush with the 
ground and grave markers must not exceed twelve 
inches in height. ; 
The management reserves the right to reject 1 
any monumental work that they consider detrimen- 
tal to the cemetery. Not more than one monu- ; 
ment is allowed to each lot, and one stone to each ’ 
grave. All work on the grounds must be done by 
the employes of the cemetery. A comfortable 
waiting room with superintendent’s office attached 
is provided for visitors. 
The cemetery also has a small receiving tomb 
for which no charge is made to lot holders in the 
winter months. But it is seldom used as the Nor- 
ristown public prefer to bury their dead in the 
winter if it is any way possible. The cemetery also 
furnishes a tent and matting free of charge to pro- ; 
tect the mourners from the rain and sun. 
Compared with what the citizens of Norristown 
have been used to, the manner of conducting Riv- ; 
erside is a radical change. The cemetery is popu- 
lar. In the older cemeteries about eighty per 
cent of the lots are enclosed with a fence of some^ 
kind. 
The average yearly death rate for Norristown 
is four hundred and fifty, of which Riverside has so ; 
far averaged sixty ; there being one hundred and 
forty-five interments for the first twenty-nine 
months. The balance is distributed among three 
old cemeteries of from thirty to fifty- five years’ stand- 
ing, not mentioning the numerous church yards that * 
still have occasional burials. A most important 
VIEW IN RIVERSIDE. \ 
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feature of the Riverside Cemetery is the perpetual \ 
care given to all lots and graves. To insure this I 
a permanent fund is being created byjplacing [ 
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