Student research yields fresh ideas for historic Wilmington burial ground

Editor's note: Every year, hundreds of undergraduates at the University of Delaware pursue research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, especially during the summer months. Such experiences provided by UD - a nationally recognized research university - can be life-changing, introducing young scholars to a new field, perhaps even the path to a future career, as they uncover new knowledge. These spotlights offer a glimpse into their world.

With about 40 acres of land within its fences, Riverview Cemetery holds a treasure trove of history and green space, spanning both sides of the 3300 block of North Market Street in Wilmington, Delaware's Northeast community.

The 153-year-old cemetery, which was designed originally by architect Hermann Schwarzmann of Philadelphia, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 2012. It had fallen into disarray and was marred by vandalism until the Friends of Historic Riverview Cemetery took custody of it in 2009. Volunteers have spent thousands of hours managing and tending to the property, restoring its grounds and renovating, repairing and maintaining its structures.

Earlier this year, the nonprofit received a grant to develop a five-year plan for the cemetery, where almost 40,000 people are interred, a broad and diverse group of area residents, including more than 1,300 veterans, many firefighters and law enforcement officers, and one Delaware governor. The grant was provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program and the Delaware Forest Service.

Shirley Duffy, a UD grad and a member of the FHRC board of directors, focused on the cemetery for her capstone project in 2022 as she worked toward a degree in landscape architecture.

And this summer, UD junior Jackson Whitcomb of Lewes, Delaware, an honors student who is majoring in landscape architecture, focused on Riverview for his summer research project, under the supervision of Anna Wik, associate professor of landscape architecture in UD's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. On Aug. 13, he presented his findings and suggestions for new trees and other plantings, ideas for walking trails and improved burial aisles, along with respectful ways to beautify areas and establish gathering places to the FHRC Board, including Vincent White, chairman, and members Linda Gould, Mary King, John Medkeff and Kate Wilhere.

Q: Why did you want to pursue this? What intrigued you about this topic?

Whitcomb: I wanted to pursue this project because it is a different area of focus from previous internships I have completed in the past. I am interested in the site-specific scale, particularly the cemetery context of the site, which makes design an interesting and dynamic challenge.

Q: Why does research like this matter?

Whitcomb: Cemeteries are green spaces that are assets to their communities. It wasn't long ago when cemeteries were valued as outdoor gathering spaces, but times change and oftentimes, cemeteries are neglected. Work like this helps preserve, strengthen and rejuvenate the value of urban green space that continuously feels more and more sparse.

Q: What does your daily research/work include?

Whitcomb: On most days, I am in a studio space working on my computer through programs like Rhino, Adobe Creative Suite, ArcGIS and Google Earth to work on analysis and graphic work for the cemetery. Other days, I am on-site in Riverview, taking inventory of the preexisting conditions in-person.

Q: What's the coolest thing about being involved in this project?

Whitcomb: The coolest thing about being involved in this project is learning more about the unique considerations that surround cemeteries, as prior to starting this project, my knowledge surrounding cemeteries was relatively surface level. Now, I feel like I know more interesting information than I used to.

Q: Is there anything you've discovered about yourself and your career goals as you've worked on the project?

Whitcomb: Through working on the project, I have actually come to the realization that this scale of work, being very site-specific, might not be what primarily interests me in my field of study. Now that I have gotten the opportunity to compare and contrast this work with the more large-scale projects that I have worked on in the past, I think I prefer working at a larger scale.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Whitcomb: This summer, in my spare time, I have primarily enjoyed spending time with friends/family, which is how I have spent most of my weekends.