First Parish Burial Ground

First Parish Burial Ground
An 18th-century grave marker
Location Gloucester, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°37′3″N 70°40′23″W / 42.61750°N 70.67306°WCoordinates: 42°37′3″N 70°40′23″W / 42.61750°N 70.67306°W
Built 1644
Governing body Public
NRHP Reference # 10000040[1]
Added to NRHP February 26, 2010

The First Parish Burial Ground is a historic cemetery near 122 Centennial Avenue in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Established in 1644, the 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) site is Gloucester's oldest burying ground. It once stood at the heart of the Gloucester settlement, and was for 80 years its only cemetery. The property is roughly hexagonal, with a narrow strip of land to provide access from Centennial Ave. Grave markers span a remarkable 295 years, from at least 1661 (though this marker is a reproduction) to 1956. The 650 marked graves do not follow any formal plan of organization.[2]

The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[1] It is not well maintained.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "NRHP nomination for First Parish Burial Ground". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2013-12-24.