Indian Burial Grounds, South Natick - Natick, MA - Worldwide Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

On the Pleasant Street side of the property for the Bacon Free Library, there is a sign and marker for the Indian Burial Ground in South Natick. This plot of land was given by the Native Americans in 1731 to Rev. Peabody who ran a church at the location of the old Praying Indian church, as well as an additional plot for the English settlers of the town. The tablet further in the plot describes the original boundaries of the land, which were:

"Beginning at this point, running northerly 450 ft to Eliot Oak thence W. 290 ft. to a point in school yard thence S. to the W. side of Eliot St. 400 ft. thence across the street 100 ft. to S. W. corner of Bacon Free Library Grounds, thence E. 150 ft to point of beginning." The Bacon Free Library was established much later, so this is a somewhat updated version. Another site puts the boundaries as between the Bacon Free Library to the South, Eliot Montessori School to the West [?? - The web site address is on Auburn Street to the north east, so the school may have moved since the web site page was created], and the Josiah Spaulding House to the east [See the Natick Indian Plantation and Needham West Milita Co. web site link]. It is very likely that the remains were there well before this time, since the Natick "Praying Indian Town" was around from 1651 to about 1716.

Much of the grounds were unused, so much of the land was used for other purposes, including roads. The book, "History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts," by Duane Hamilton Hurd, states that the burial ground was the place where remains found in the area were buried. Several graves were found when the church built the wall in its yard, and "a long row" of remains were found when pipes were being laid by the Bailey Hotel [somewhere in South Natick]. Many of the artifacts found are now on display in the museum in the basement of the Bacon Free Library. The graves, save one, were unmarked, and thus, the number of graves at this location is unknown. The one marked grave is to Rev. Daniel Takawambpait, which has been moved to the yard of the Eliot Church.

One other reminder of the area's past is the fence that borders the Bacon Free Library property. The 'pickets' are alternating arrows and crosses.

Sources:

Hurt, Duane Hamilton. History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia, J. Lewis & Co., 1890. Link:
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Natick Walking Tours Site:

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Natick Indian Plantation & Needham West Militia Company web site:

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City, Town, or Parish / State / Country: Not listed Approximate number of graves: Not listed Cemetery Status: Not listed Cemetery Website: Not listed

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