Dog on Perkins Family Grave - Mt. Auburn Cemetery - Watertown, MA - Dog Statues on Waymarking.com

In Watertown, within Mt. Auburn Cemetery, is this sculpture that is of a dog on the Perkins family plot.

The cemetery entrance is located off Mt. Auburn Street, near the intersection with Belmont Street. Once you get in, stop by the Stone Chapel and buy a map ($1) that shows notable landmarks and grave sites. This monument is by Central Ave, near Cypress Ave.

The monument is a marble edifice with the dog in the center, and four sloped surfaces where the names of the Perkins family are listed. The dog is about life size of a medium to large dog. The dog is lying with its head upright and alert, looking left compared to its reclining body.

A nice blog gives some very good information about the grave. The monument was originally created for Thomas Perkins (1797-1850). It was commissioned in 1844, six years before his death, and was made by Horatio Greenough. Perkins was in the Quincy granite quarrying business, but he preferred marble for the sculpture. The Perkins name is also associated with the Perkins School for the Blind, a couple miles from this location, and which he endowed in 1839. However, there is no indication that the dog is either a seeing eye dog or a beloved pet, and none of the family had need of a guide dog.

Come find this and other dog sculptures in the cemetery - but, don't bring your dog: dogs aren't allowed (sorry).

Source:

Cambridge Canine (Dogs of Mt. Auburn Cemetery):
(visit link)

Breed: Newfoundland Retriever Date Built: 1/1/1844

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/07/2014 Freddie's Pack visited it