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Explore > Mount Auburn Cemetery > Story Archives
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a lasting treasure
Submitted by friend, West of Boston
I was just thinking, after reading some of the stories submitted about other places, on this last night of voting, how Mount Auburn Cemetery will still be here to receive "residents" and mourners alike, as well as all those who crave a place of beauty and peace, long after this competition is over and the money is awarded.
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landmark in so many ways
Submitted by hh, West of Boston
I used to lead "Local Walks" for the Appalachian Mountain Club, and among the places I brought people from the Boston area was Mount Auburn Cemetery. It was always such a joy to introduce people to this wondrous and gorgeous place! I would show them, as we walked the quiet roads and paths, that not only was Mount Auburn Cemetery a deeply-important cultural landmark, but also a landmark of natural history and aesthetic history. People were often surprised to learn that the Cemetery is still very active as a cemetery. Many times my walkers would say, Well, I have lived in this area for many years and I never realized what a marvelous place this was, and right here, too!, in my own backyard!
Since those days of leading walks at Mount Auburn Cemetery, I have become a volunteer there, helping to record some of the oldest monument inscriptions, trying to pass the words of now-departed mourners into the future. As well, my husband and I have purchased space at the Cemetery. When we bought our space, my husband said that he thought of the expense as being an appropriate way to support this treasure for the future of our community.
More than a treasure of the community, Mount Auburn Cemetery is a treasure of the country and indeed the world! I am so proud to be a part of it.
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Mount Auburn Cemetery
Submitted by lorraine, Boston
In our topsy, turvy world get away from the stess and strains of our lives. Enjoy the peace, quiet and tranquility of the Mount Auburn Cemetery. It not only provides a beautiful final resting place for our beloved departed, but a lovely relaxing place for the living to enjoy. The trees, ponds, flowers, architectural design are a wonderful experience to see.
Come and see for yourself! Enjoy our audio presentation as you drive or walk along the cemetery paths.
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most beautiful place
Submitted by knw, Boston
I live in allston next to the mass pike.
It's ugly, obviously. Mt Auburn cemetery is only five minutes away by car and it is our beautiful oasis.
This amazing place makes living in my neighborhood bearable. I know that it's there and just that thought is calming. The trees are magnificent and the birds are magical. I am so grateful for this place.
The first walk I took my newborn daughter was here on a Fall morning. I changed her diaper next to a tombstone. Wow, pretty powerful stuff. Now she loves to climb to the top of the tower. What a joy to have this place in our lives.
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Peaceful and Calm
Submitted by Denise, West of Boston
With all the noise of the city, Mount Auburn is such a peaceful and serene place.
Oh, to stop and realize what God has given us in the nature that has been provided!
The beauty and quiet of the Cemetery are a haven and refuge for all those who come to visit.
May it never be said, "There is no quiet in Cambridge."
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Welcoming All
Submitted by Jerilyn Familetto, West of Boston
Each Thursday as I enter the front gates of Mount Auburn, there to assume my post as docent volunteer at the new Visitor Center in Story Chapel, it is with a sense of pride and the privilege of opportunity to be of service to the public, a public visiting from near and afar. Seeing and inhaling the natural beauty that surrounds me and is so meticulously maintained, being aware of the individual lives who have gone before and affording me that quiet moment before my shift to pay my respects in honor of their humanity, reading the history of the headstones, reflecting on the inspirational art and architecture, knowing that animal creatures are able to co-habit and call this peaceful place home and, most of all, being part of the joy of welcoming thousands of annual visitors each year whatever their quest, any of this would be more than enough for me to consider these hours of my life well spent.
But there is more, much more to Mount Auburn Cemetery. The administration, and the staff that comprises it, is quite simply I find wonderful by association. Not only is each staff member highly skilled in his or her chosen field but each also shares obviously this love of place and deep sense of true purpose. And as if this isn't dedication enough, staff train volunteers tirelessly and provide exciting, seasonal community programs of interest to groups of all ages. I, for one but am not alone, anticipate eagerly each new program schedule.
If you have never entered the gates of Mount Auburn Cemetery, may I invite you today? Come see it yourself! Join us in Friendship. You'll understand why I cast a daily vote for the preservation of our Egyptian Revival Gatehouse. Consecrated in 1831, Mount Auburn Cemetery is a place worthy of preservation. Mount Auburn Cemetery is truly a most beautiful "silent city on a hill" full of vibrant life, welcoming all.
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first date
Submitted by sevans, Boston
My husband and I had one of our first dates at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. When we move to Boston and near Mount Auburn Cemetery, we were overjoyed to find a landmark with a similar mission: architectural and natural diversity. Cemeteries used to be picnic places, family gathering sites. Being comfortable maintaining connections to the past is so important in moving forward to a successful future. Mount Auburn fosters a multi-purpose vision with tours, lectures and birding while staying true as a solemn and respectful burying ground. Vibrant energy and calmness.
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pure space
Submitted by sadie, West of Boston
As a newcomer to Boston, I never thought a cemetery would end up being one of my favorite places but Mt. Auburn became a respite. I loved seeing the grand entrance each day as I rode past on the 71 trolly going to work. Walking through the gate was like walking into another world - serene and beautiful. I loved hiking the grounds and viewing the area from high up the watchtower. A birdwatching friend of mine even met her husband (a fellow birdwatcher) there! Mt. Auburn is magical and important place where one can find clear space to breathe, reflect, and admire beauty.
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my mother the rabbit
Submitted by nannymaur, South Shore
My mother is buried at Mount Auburn Cemetary. She passed away before the birth of my two daughters. They enough other relatives so not really deprived of grandmother type figures. The following event happened when they were about 6 and 11. One day we went to the cemetary and sitting on her grave site was a small brown bunny. Well they decided their grandmother had been reincarnated as that rabbit. To this day we refer to her as nanna the rabbit versus nanna cookie. My mother-in-law who has since passed along was a great cookie baker - hence her nicknmae.
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My backyard
Submitted by JS from Arlington, West of Boston
When I became a mother I lived very near Mt. Auburn Cemetery and strolled my son almost every day within the beautiful grounds. I felt it was an extension of my backyard and solace from busy Belmont Street. I am also an avid birdwatcher and return there every spring with the migrating warblers. I check the blackboard in the Gatehouse to see what birds have been spotted that day or the day before. April/May wouldn't be complete without countless trips to see the migrating birds. My son's father was also strolled at Mt. Auburn and his mother peacefully rests eternally there amongst many relatives. This is why I chose Mt. Auburn Cemetery for this high honor.
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My Home Away from Home
Submitted by audiotape68, West of Boston
I first visited Mount Auburn Cemetery on May 11, 1997 and was immediately smitten! The history, the horticulture and the wildlife all intertwine to create a mesmerizing landscape. The Egyptian Revival Gateway truly is a gateway to another dimension in time (reflective, meditative) and space (peaceful, rewarding, poetic, healing, inspiring).
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Beauty, tranquility and history
Submitted by DP in Brighton, Boston
Mount Auburn Cemetery was one of the first histroic sites I visited when I first moved to Boston six years ago, and it has remained a place that I return to whenever I need some peace and quiet in my life. The minute I step inside the incredible entrance gate, I feel like I've entered a different world. The grounds are certainly beautiful, but the gate alone is amazing, and I would love to see it preserved for future visitors.
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Great tours begin with the Gatehouse
Submitted by nwampler, West of Boston
I just attended a fabulous tour, “Edgar Allan Poe and His Literary Contemporaries” lead by Rob Velella. Rob was able to highlight so many connections between Edgar Allan Poe and residents of Mount Auburn Cemetery! The tour, like most at Mount Auburn, began with a group congregating near the Egyptian Revival Gatehouse. For most visitors, their exit will also be through the gates of this significant structure. The Gatehouse has been serving visitors first as a wooden structure, then of granite, since 1832. By voting, you can help Mount Auburn continue preserving the Gatehouse while enhancing the visitor experience for many years to come.
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Prince of Players
Submitted by Thomas Caron, West of Boston
Mt. Auburn Cemetery is the final resting place of Edwin Booth, America's greatest actor. His grave has long been a magnet to me, a source of solace and inspiration. Whenever possible, I'd make a point of visiting him prior to playing a new part, to commune with his spirit and honor his example. I write these words from Shanghai, China, where I will open a show this week. Alas, I cannot make my pilgrimage, when I fear I most need the strength I would gather from the nearness of his bones, but I will close my eyes and walk on the path to the ridge where he reposes, and make my homage in my heart.
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Dancing at Mount Auburn
Submitted by Ellie, West of Boston
When I was a little girl, five or so, I remember dancing at the Mount Auburn Christmas party. I remember spinning a prize wheel and that was lots of fun. I would love to go back, but I have to go to school.
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A national treasure
Submitted by PB, West of Boston
Mount Auburn Cemetery is not just a cemetery. It is a national treasure. Built in 1831, for all who visit it, it is a garden site of beauty and meditative rest. At the same time however its architectural and cultural importance as a cemetery is without parallel, with the names of its 19th century residents reading like a roll call of the major figures of the day, from William Ellery Channing, Winslow Homer, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to Julia Ward Howe, Mary Baker Eddy, and Dorothea Dix.
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An Oasis
Submitted by Will, West of Boston
Mount Auburnn was an oasis for me while I was a student at Harvard. I would often bring my books, walk to the cemetery, and find a comfortable place to read. I took my future wife to Mt. Auburn as a first date while we were both graduate students at Boston University. Ultimately, we got married in the cemetery's lovely Bigelow Chapel. Mount Auburn is a wonderful place where one can feel the presence of the past and look forward to stability in the future.
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A very special place
Submitted by Pris, West of Boston
I have loved and been drawn to Mount Auburn since I was a student at Harvard in the 1960s. My family has had a lot at the Cemetery since the late 19th century, so it has personal meaning for me, but as (or more) important to me are Mount Auburn's beautiful settings with several ponds and lakes and meandering paths; the extraordinary landscapes; the myriad and diverse trees, birds and flowers; the meticulous upkeep throughout its 175+ years; its serenity in the midst of a busy city; its accessibility to all, 365 days a year, free of charge. Given its attraction as a wildllife habitat and fantastic horticultural treasure, it is surprsing to know that Mount Auburn is still an active cemetery with available burial space. We in Cambridge and Watertown (and Boston!) are lucky to have this amazing community resource.
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Beautiful oasis free of charge, but privately owned
Submitted by marie, West of Boston
I love walking through Mount Auburn. It is such an oasis! Mt. Auburn is privately owned, yet open to the public free of charge 365 days a year. I’m voting for Mount Auburn to show my appreciation and in hopes of gathering funds to preserve the gatehouse. The gatehouse needs re-pointing, the fence deserves conservation, and with the grant the structure will be rehabilitated to better welcome visitors!
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a community anchor
Submitted by Hilary, West of Boston
Although I had lived in the neighborhood of Mount Auburn Cemetery, for many years I had never visited it. Then I read about a program offered at the Cemetery, something to do with bird migration as I recall (it was a long time ago!). Curious, I went and participated in the program. I was stunned not only by the extraordinary beauty of the Cemetery, but also by the caring staff whom I met. I began to visit more and more often, and finally realized that although I had lived in the area for so many years, I had never truly felt anchored to the community. Furthermore, I realized that Mount Auburn Cemetery, with its history, beauty, and staff devoted to its maintenance, was a place not only of the past, but also of the present--my present--and on to future generations. Since that first encounter, Mount Auburn has become my anchor to my community. It is a place of faith in the future, and in spite of its nature, a place of hopefulness.
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Beautiful Setting
Submitted by Robert, West of Boston
Both of my parents are buried at Mt. Auburn. It is a truly beautiful setting.
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MAC a place for quiet meditation
Submitted by Tuti, West of Boston
I first fell in love with the quiet beauty Mount Auburn Cemetery when I moved to Cambridge 12 years ago. Despite being a cemetery it is full of life, and each changing season brings out the beauty of its landscaped grounds and abundant wild life.
It is a place where one can reflect and meditate while being surrounded by beauty.
There is no other place like Mount Auburn Cemetery.
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Peoria's Springdale Cemetery
Submitted by Marilyn Leyland, West of Boston
Way west of Boston, in Peoria, IL, lies Springdale Cemetery. Chartered in 1855 and patterned after Mt. Auburn, it's part of the rural cemetery movement that predated public parks. While on the historic register, Springdale's destinctive gatehouse has deteriorated to the point that it's in imminent danger of being torn down. It's been on the Landmarks Illinois list of endangered sites since 1998. Sad.
Here's cheering for Mt. Auburn.
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