We want to live a Gothic Revival lifestyle, even if it is in a cemetery…
On a prominent hill in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one of the city’s most wondrous, but yet unknown architectural gems sits in the midst of a cemetery historically known as the Mount Kalmia Cemetery and now known as the Harrisburg Cemetery. This gothic revival wonder is straight out of Andrew Jackson Downing (1815-1852) and since the cemetery was completed in 1845 and this house, built as the caretakers mansion, is most definitely contemporary to that period, it can probably be said that Downing’s work had a direct influence on the building’s construction.
We realize that a cemetery is not the most ideal place to live, but we must consider: you’d get to live in a Gothic Revival Mansion and amongst one of the greatest sculpture gardens in the city, not to mention your neighbors would be super quiet. Hmm, thats allot of mowing, but perhaps its in our future as we salivate over this miracle of architectural wonderment overtime we drive by the gates of the Harrisburg Cemetery. Alas, to be a rich man of Downing’s age, or perhaps even one now…
We will deliniate the details that make this building gothic on another day…promises, promises…
I would love to see the inside of that!
Ya, I’ve never been in…sadness!
Staff is on site 24 / 7 if visiting just knock on the door or find us on the grounds.
Can we get a tour of the house?
Yes I would be happy to give a tour just e-mail to make an appointment
Warning tho the cottage is very plain inside most of the original 1850s interior is gone, removed during the circa 1900 enlargement.
Both the lav and bathroom were restored to the 1900s standard, the 1970s mixed green carpet tiles, pink bathtub and trim that was in them had to go.
And there is still the issue of wall colour in certain rooms, the person who picked the paints in the house had shall we say a jaundiced eye. I never knew there were so many shades of yellow it was like living in a specimen cup.
Check out the cemetery web site for 1890s exterior views https://sites.google.com/site/harrisburgcemetery/
I’ve done quite a bit of research on my family history and recently discovered that William Putt, the very first caretaker of the cemetery, is my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather. My grandmother on my fathers side was a Putt. I’m very interested in knowing more about the history of the cemetery, the caretakers house, and where my family is buried. Does the HCA have a detailed list of the Putts buried at the cemetery? I would also like to make an appt to visit.
This would be a question for the keeper of the cemetery.
Mr. Putt yes he is here, but technically he was not the first caretaker, there was one man before him who lasted on the job a whole 2 months. The reason he was left go “intemperance”
Cheers
yes, but who lived first in the Gothic Revival house?