[MassHistPres] Abandoned cemeteries of Massachusetts

[melanie deware]

Even though we have some 40 +/- recognized burial places in town we are not in the book.  The sites are historic to us, holding the remains of the town's ancestors.  As for the non-privately held ones, most have not had burials in 100 years or so.  I spent last summer visiting them all and transcribing the stones.  Cool stuff.

 

Melanie Deware

Clerk, Easton Cemetery Commission

Chair, Easton Historical Commission 
 


From: hmeltsner at verizon.net
Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 12:35:04 -0400
To: KZunino at lowellma.gov
CC: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Abandoned cemeteries of Massachusetts

David Allen Lambert's A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries is a very through listing of historic cemeteries in the state. It provides some description of each but does not list abandoned cemeteries separately.  I believe that since its publication in 2002, another has been found associated with the former Boston Almshouse on Long Island. 


Heli Meltsner
 


On May 20, 2010, at 12:13 PM, Zunino, Kim wrote:


I am interested in knowing the number of pre-1960 "abandoned" cemeteries/burial grounds there are in Massachusetts. 

My definition of an abandoned cemetery is a burial site of undetermined ownership, usually found in some state of neglect. If ownership is clear but it has not been maintained for a number of years than I would classify it as abandoned also.

These sites include pioneer cemeteries, family/community burial grounds, churchyard burial grounds, and potter's fields. I would also be interested in more modern cemeteries that have not had a burial in fifty years or more and are currently neglected. 

Is there a place where I can find data on such sites? Or, data for individual towns or cities? 

Is there a list of such sites that were adopted by local towns or cities after a period of neglect? 

Thanks, 

Kim Zunino | Assistant Administrator 
Lowell Historic Board 
The City of Lowell
50 Arcand Drive Lowell, MA 01852 
t: 978.446.7200 x1444 | f: 978.446-7104 | www.Lowell.org 
kzunino at lowellma.gov 

LOWELL  Alive. Unique. Inspiring. 


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