Cemetery Division maps and plans

Collection

Identifier: 4410.002

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

This collection includes maps and plans from the Cemetery Division headquarters at Mt. Hope Cemetery. The maps and plans span the years circa 1899-1999. Many of the maps and plans are undated. The condition of many of the plans is poor because of previous storage and water damage. The collection has been divided into 4 series: Series I - Mt. Hope Cemetery, Series II - Evergreen Cemetery, Series III - Fairview Cemetery, and Series IV - Historic Burying Grounds.

The Mt. Hope Cemetery maps and plans comprise the largest number of plans in the collection. Maps and plans include general plans, lot plans, cemetery building plans, miscellaneous maps etc.. The earliest identified date in this series is 1903.

The Evergreen Cemetery maps and plans include general layouts of the cemetery at different points in time. Most of these maps and plans show the layout of streets and avenues in the cemetery and the burial plots. The earliest identified date in this series is 1901.

The Fairview Cemetery maps and plans include general plans, topographical survey, building plans, etc. The earliest identified date in this series is 1946.

The Historic Burying Ground series includes maps and plans from Bennington St. Cemetery, Central Burial Ground, Copp's Hill, Dorchester North, Dorchester South, Phipps St. and Westerly Burial Grounds. The earliest identified date in this series is 1901.

Dates

circa 1899-1999

Creator

Boston (Mass.). Cemetery Department (Organization)
Boston (Mass.). Parks and Recreation Department (Organization)

Historical note

By Chap. 375 of the Acts of 1897, the Mayor was authorized to appoint a board of five trustees, subject to confirmation by the Board of Aldermen, to have charge of Mount Hope Cemetery and all other burying grounds owned by or in charge of the City of Boston.

Mount Hope Cemetery was bought by the City in 1857 for $35,000 and additional land has been purchased since. It is situated on Walk Hill Street. The Board of Trustees was first appointed under the ordinance passed December 21, 1857.

All burying grounds which were formerly under the control of the Board of Health were transferred to the jurisdiction of the Cemetery Department. They included the following:

Benington street, East Boston, 157,500 square feet. Bunker Hill, Charlestown, 48,202 square feet. Central, Boston Common, 60,693 square feet. Copp’s Hill, Charter and Hull streets, 89,015 square feet. Dorchester North, Upham’s Corner, 142,587 square feet. Dorchester South, Dorchester avenue, 95,462 square feet. Eliot, Washington and Eustis streets, 34,830 square feet. Evergreen, Commonwealth avenue, Brighton, 604,520 square feet. Fairview, Hyde Park, 50 acres. Granary, Tremont street, opposite Bromfield street, 82,063 square feet. Hawes, Emerson street, near L street, 11,232 square feet. King’s Chapel, Tremont street, near School street, 19,344 square feet. Market Street, Market street, Brighton, 18,072 square feet. Mount Hope, Walk Hill street, 117 acres and 36,536 square feet. Phipps Street, Charlestown, 76,740 square feet. Rainsford Island, 43,560 square feet. South End, Washington and East Concord streets, 64,570 square feet. Walter Street, Walter street, Roslindale, 35,100 square feet. Warren, Kearsarge avenue, Roxbury, 54,400 square feet. Westerly, Centre street, West Roxbury, 39,450 square feet.

In 1920, the Cemetery Department was merged with the Park Department, the latter title being substituted for Park and Recreation Department. On May 1, 1954, the department became the Parks and Recreation Department.

The Cemetery Division is responsible for providing burial services for City of Boston residents. The division manages burial records for over 250,000 gravesites and maintains approximately 200 acres of cemetery land. The three active cemeteries are Mount Hope Cemetery, Fairview Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery.