The Carlisle area definitely does not have a shortage of dead people. I say this because there are numerous graveyards located all over the town. Probably the most interesting of these graveyards is the Old Public Graveyard. This graveyard is relatively small compared to the others, at least area wise. Despite its small size, the graveyard houses a number of Carlisle’s most famous veterans. Over 750 veterans from the Revolutionary War up through the Korean War are recognized with gravestones here. Five hundred of these veterans come from the Civil War era. One of those veterans is 1stUS Calvary drummer boy Charles Seebold. Other cool Probably the most famous gravestone(and monument) in the Old Public Graveyard belongs to Mary Hays McCauly aka Molly Pitcher. This Revolutionary War hero has become a bit of a cult figure in Carlisle as she has(or had) a hotel, apartments and a brewery all named after her. If you want to maximize your viewing pleasure while minimizing your time spent here you have two options as far as I’m concerned. Option one is to wander aimlessly through the rows of gravestones until your toddler spots the playground at the elementary school next door and insists you leave to go swing. Option two is to visit Visit Cumberland Valley dot com and download the self-guided walking tour that is available. This resource maps some of the most famous gravestones and sights in the graveyard and provides you with some additional historical information about each. For instance, did you know that one person who is buried there is John Bannister Gibson? He was Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for 24 years(1827 – 1851). Gibson also played violin and made his own dentures! Without the self-guided walking tour, I never would’ve known that. Of course, I learned all I know about the Old Public Graveyard in Carlisle after the fact. I made the mistake of choosing option one above and had to get the toddler to the playground before she woke everyone that was buried there. I’d definitely recommend option two. Option one leaves no one happy.
