BUCKS COUNTY, PA — This week, Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative Perry Warren (D-31) announced that Lower Makefield Township will receive $33,250 in state funding to restore the historic Slate Hill Cemetery. The funds come from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s 2023-2024 Keystone Historic Preservation Grant program, which awarded grants to 44 projects statewide.
Lower Makefield Township plans to use the grant to repair and restore headstones at Slate Hill Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States. These efforts aim to preserve the cemetery’s rich history and improve safety for hosting public and educational events.
Senator Santarsiero emphasized the historical significance of the site. “Slate Hill Cemetery tells an important story about the founding of Lower Makefield Township and Bucks County,” he said. “I am proud to have supported this funding award, which will go a long way toward preserving the rich history of our area and keeping the story alive.”
Representative Warren echoed these sentiments, noting the cemetery’s extensive historical importance. “Slate Hill Burying Ground reflects over three centuries of local history,” he said. “This Keystone Historic Preservation Grant recognizes and will help maintain and restore this Nationally Registered Historic Place into its fourth century.”
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Slate Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for many of Bucks County’s original settlers. It also holds the county’s oldest original headstone, making it a vital link to the region’s past.
The restoration project aims not only to preserve the cemetery’s historical value but also to make it a safer and more accessible site for future generations to learn from and appreciate.
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