Mount Pisgah Cemetery
HISTORY
In 1853, Robert W. Smith and his wife sold a plot of land located on Second Street in Wrightsville Borough, York County, PA to the trustees of the "Colored Wesleyan Zion Church of Wrightsville", Gabriel Rice, Elias Veney (Deney), Pharoah Fairfax, Edward Williams, and James Pelton.
Dr. James L. Jamison and Mr. Charles Johnson designed a beautiful white limestone structure with handsome stained glass windows that could seat 250 members. The cornerstone was laid on March 9, 1891. Built by church members, the building was dedicated on September 6 1891. On October 12, 1896 a charter was approved for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Wrightsville to chartering members Dr. James L. Jamison, Charles B. Johnson, Paris W. Johnson, John J. Baer and Joseph Murray.
Long before the church was built, however, the cemetery behind it was utilized for the Black residents of Wrightsville and Columbia. There are several United States Colored Troops veterans interred in the cemetery. On the Mulberry Street side, a memorial stone dedicated by the York Social Friendship Lodge No. 42 Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons reads, "In memory of the Black militia man who died June 28, 1863 defending Wrightsville against Confederates during a Civil War siege aiming to take control of the Susquehanna River bridge and all Black veterans that honorably served in the Armed Forces."
The church was abandoned by 1920. In 1932, a group had maintained the property and in 1945 they incorporated as Pentecostal Church, Assemblies of God, Wrightsville. They amended their charter in 1951 to Assembly of God.
Today, the cemetery is looked after by volunteers but was turned over to the Wrightsville Borough in 2019. The section located directly behind the church building is listed as being owned by the Pentecostal Church Wrightsville PA. The church is listed as being owned by Grace Evangelical United Brethern Church of Wrightsville. The rest of the cemetery grounds are listed as being owned by Mt. Pisgah Burial Grounds.