On this day: March 26

/on/march-26

1876 • neutral • 6 views

America’s First Public Crematory Opens in 1876

A 19th-century crematory building on a hillside in Washington, Pennsylvania, with a simple classical façade and a low chimney, surrounded by trees and period-era fencing.

On March 26, 1876, the first public crematory in the United States began operating in Washington, Pennsylvania, marking a shift in burial practices amid growing debates about sanitation, religion, and modernity.

Read