Cemetery sights in Boston
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Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
The city’s second-oldest cemetery – dating to 1660 – is named for William Copp, who originally owned this land. The oldest graves here belong to his children. An estimated 10,000 souls occupy this small plot of land, including more than 1000 free blacks, many of whom lived in the North End. Near the Charter St gate you’ll find the graves of the Mather family – Increase, Cotton and Samuel – all of whom were politically powerful religious leaders in the colonial community. Find the grave of Daniel Malcolm, whose headstone commemorates his rebel activism. British soldiers apparently took offense at this claim and used the headstone for target practice. Across the street, 44 …
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B
Central Burying Ground
Dating to 1756, the Central Burying Ground is the least celebrated of the old cemeteries, as it was the burial ground of the down-and-out (according to one account, used for ‘Roman Catholics and strangers dying in the town’). Some reports indicate that it contains an unmarked mass grave for British soldiers who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The most recognized name here is the artist-in-residence, Gilbert Stuart. Sometimes called the ‘Father of American Portraiture,’ Stuart painted the portrait of George Washington that now graces the dollar bill.
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C
Mount Auburn Cemetery
On a sunny day, this delightful spot at the end of Brattle St is worth the 30-minute walk west from Harvard Sq. Developed in 1831, it was the first ‘garden cemetery’ in the US. Maps pinpoint the rare botanical specimens and notable burial plots, including those for Mary Baker Eddy (founder of the Christian Science Church), Isabella Stewart Gardner (socialite and art collector), Winslow Homer (19th-century American painter), Oliver Wendell Holmes (US Supreme Court Justice) and Henry W Longfellow (19th-century writer). Take bus 71 or 73 from Harvard Sq.
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D
Granary Burying Ground
Adjacent to Park St Church, this ancient cemetery dates to 1660. As the name implies, the location of the church was once the site of the town granary: as the burying ground predates the church, it is named after the grain storage facility instead. While it is sometimes called the Old Granary Burying Ground, it’s not the oldest; King’s Chapel and Copp’s Hill date back even further. Nonetheless, this atmospheric atoll is crammed with historic headstones, many with evocative (and creepy) carvings. It is the final resting place of all your favorite revolutionary heroes including Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock and James Otis. Benjamin Franklin is missing, as he is bu…
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E
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
All the authors used to rest in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in the town center.
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