Eastern Cemetery

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Eastern Cemetery
Location Congress St., corner Mountfort St., Portland, Maine
Coordinates 43°39′46″N 70°15′3″W / 43.66278°N 70.25083°W / 43.66278; -70.25083Coordinates: 43°39′46″N 70°15′3″W / 43.66278°N 70.25083°W / 43.66278; -70.25083
Area 5.3 acres (2.1 ha)
Built 1668
Governing body Local
NRHP Reference # 73000112[1]
Added to NRHP December 12, 1973

The Eastern Cemetery is an historic cemetery at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Congress Street in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland, Maine. Located at the base of Munjoy Hill, the Eastern Cemetery is the oldest major cemetery in Portland. Established in 1668, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Mary Green's head and foot stone mark the oldest known burial of May 23, 1717. [2] The cemetery was active until the 1860s. It totals approximately 5.3 acres (21,000 m2) in size. The present iron and granite fence along Congress Street was erected in 1916. The granite receiving tomb to the right of the entrance was built in 1849.

Over 3,500 burials are recorded as being in the Eastern Cemetery. [3]

Notable Burials

  • James Alden, Jr., (1810-1877), Civil War, Mexican-American War
  • Captain Samuel Blyth, (1784-1813), US War of 1812, British commander of the HMS Boxer, killed in the line of duty on September 5, 1813 Capture of HMS Boxer
  • George Bradbury (1770-1823), US Congressman
  • Captain William Ward Burrows, Jr., (1785-1813), U.S. War of 1812, commander of the USS Enterprise, killed in the line of duty during the September 5, 1813 Capture of HMS Boxer
  • Charles Codman, (1800-1842), American landscape and marine painter
  • Mark Harris, (1779-1843), US Congressman
  • John Holmes, (1773-1843), US Congressman
  • Daniel Ilsley, (1740-1813), US Congressman
  • Lieutenant Kervin Waters, (1797-1815), US War of 1812, midshipman participated in the capture of the Capture of HMS Boxer, died of his injuries 20 days later at age 18
  • Commodore Edward Preble, (1761-1807), US Naval officer
  • George Preble, (1816-1885), US Naval officer and writer
  • William Widgery, (1753-1822), US Congressman

References

Grave of Alonzo Stinson
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. 
  2. Jordan, William B. Jr., Burial Records 1717-1962 of the Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Maine. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1987.
  3. Eastern Cemetery 224 Congress Street, Portland, Maine at Portland.me.us

External links


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