Date visited: March 30, 2024
Address: 580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 01238
Mount Auburn Cemetery, which was founded in 1831, is one of the original garden or rural cemeteries in the country. It was designed both to provide a more rural space to bury Boston residents, but also as a tranquil place where people could escape the hustle and bustle of Boston. Mount Auburn has open spaces for animals and for people to relax.
Buried within the boundaries of Mount Auburn are a variety of people who have made their mark on American history, including Dorthea Dix, who fought for more humane treatment of the mentally ill; chef and cookbook author Fannie Farmer; and architect Charles Bullfinch. The grounds of Mount Auburn include unique gravestones, mausoleums, and two chapels. The Bigelow Chapel, pictured above, was constructed in the 1840s and the Story Chapel and Administration building was built int he 1890s.
Mount Auburn is not only a place of nature and history, it is also a place filled with art. Artwork within the cemetery includes a Spinx carved out of a 40 10 block of Maine Granite to commemorate the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. Other famous artwork includes a Newfoundland dog resting atop the grave of Thomas Handasyd Perkins and a touching memorial for the Atkins children, who all died young. The Mount Auburn Cemetery Website has an online book showcasing much of the art within the cemeteries boundaries. Mount Auburn is so committed to art that it sponsors an artist in residence program.
The day that I visited, I decided that I wanted to pay tribute to Maman Brigette by making an offering of rum at the grave of the oldest woman’s grave in the cemetery. I located the plot number at FindaGrave, but was struggling to find it in real life. However, a helpful turkey showed up to lead me right to her grave and I had to smile as black fowl are sacred to Maman Brigette.
Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of those places that could take a whole day to explore. I was fortunate that I had a few hours to walk its trails and the beautiful art within its boundaries. It is definitely a place I plan to go back to.