Mount Auburn Cemetery - Cambridge, MA
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NorStar
N 42° 22.176 W 071° 08.654
19T E 323447 N 4693040
This cemetery, which was the first large-scale landscaped park open to the public, contains several important buildings that give the cemetery its character and have served as models for the development of other places.
Waymark Code: WM6GWX
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/02/2009
Views: 10
The Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of the most well known cemeteries in the Boston area. In addition to being a burial place with thousands of graves, it's landscape that includes ponds, trees and hills provides a varied and pleasant place to spend time. Also, several buildings provide both function and added beauty.
There are two listings for the cemetery in the national register: one in 1975 and one in 2003. The web site for the cemetery contains some background, including a copy of the nomination form in 2003 for registering the structures within the cemetery. This waymark follows this nomination form, which may be an update to the previous one.
According to the nomination form, the cemetery was founded in 1831, and "it was the first large-scale designed landscape open to the public in the United States." In 1825, Dr. Jacob Bigelow brought together several people of Boston to plan a new kind of 'rural cemetery' where plot lots were often separated by trees and other landscape features. In 1831, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society developed the land to be a cemetery. In 1835, the horticultural society was no longer associated with the cemetery; however, horticultural interest continued there. Over time, the location became a popular place where people could leave Boston for a while. Today, people continue to spend time there and is a favorite place for birders looking for songbirds like warblers.
There are several significant structures in this cemetery. At the entrance is the Story Chapel and Administration Building and Gateway. Other buildings include the Bigelow Chapel and Washington Tower (an observation tower that you can climb stairs to enjoy a grand view of Boston, Cambridge and surrounding area). Many monuments are also listed as important features.
Mount Auburn is the final resting place of many well known people - see the nomination form for examples.
Come for a stroll!
A note about the city listed - both the National Park Service and the cemetery web site reference a Cambridge address, yet it appears that 80% of the cemetery lies within Watertown, including the entrance.
Street address:
580 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA United States of America
02138
County / Borough / Parish: Middlesex
Year listed: 2003
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Periods of significance: 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Historic function: Funerary
Current function: Agriculture/Subsistence, Funerary, Recreation And Culture
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2009 To: 12/31/2009
Hours of operation: From: 8:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.