Organized by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first of many rural cemeteries that played an integral role in 19th century life. Covering 175 acres, the cemetery is landscaped with ornamental plantings, ponds, monuments, fences, fountains, and chapels that provide a setting to commemorate the dead as well as inspire a tranquil environment.

The cemetery was inspired by the physician and horticulturalist Jacob Bigelow. Bigelow convinced Boston’s city officials to address problems of overcrowding and sanitation by constructing the burial grounds four miles away from the city. In 1975, the site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2003.

Buckler, James R., Kathryn Meehan. Victorian Gardens: A Horticultural Extravaganza. (Smithsonian Institution, 1988).

“Mount Auburn Cemetery,” The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Accessed May 31, 2019.