Blossom Hill and Calvary Cemeteries facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Blossom Hill and Calvary Cemeteries
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Entry house
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | North State Street, Concord, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| Built | 1860; 1875 |
| Architect | Briggs, John C. |
| Architectural style | Rural cemetery |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000891 |
| Added to NRHP | December 15, 2010 |
The Blossom Hill and Calvary Cemeteries are two old and important cemeteries in Concord, New Hampshire. They are right next to each other on North State Street. The city of Concord owns and takes care of both of them. Blossom Hill Cemetery was started in the 1800s. It was designed like a beautiful park, which was a popular style for cemeteries back then. Calvary Cemetery was first started by the Catholic Church. Later, in 1995, the city of Concord took over its care. The oldest grave found there is from 1857. Both cemeteries were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010 because of their history and design.
Contents
Blossom Hill Cemetery: A Park-Like Resting Place
Blossom Hill Cemetery is quite large, covering about 61 acres. It is on the west side of North State Street. You can enter the cemetery from two different spots. The land gently slopes upwards towards the west. The oldest parts of the cemetery are found on the highest ground.
How the Cemetery is Designed
The cemetery has winding paved and gravel roads. These roads follow the natural shape of the land. There are also grassy paths between the rows of graves. Special areas exist within the cemetery. One is the Beth Jacob Cemetery, created in 1948 for Jewish burials. Another section has a memorial for the Grand Army of the Republic. This memorial honors soldiers from Concord who fought in the American Civil War.
History of Blossom Hill
Blossom Hill Cemetery was founded in 1860. It was the second cemetery for the city of Concord. The first was the Old North Cemetery. John C. Briggs designed Blossom Hill. He passed away at 41 and is buried here. Many important people are buried in this cemetery. These include city and state leaders. Four former governors of New Hampshire are among them.
Calvary Cemetery: A Neighboring Site
Calvary Cemetery covers about 14.4 acres. It is right next to Blossom Hill Cemetery, to its north. Today, both cemeteries share a similar look. The city has managed Calvary Cemetery since it was founded. It was established in 1875. This was about ten years after St. John the Evangelist Church was founded.
Notable Burials in Calvary
Many important people are buried in Calvary Cemetery. One is Rev. John O'Reilly. He was the first Catholic priest to serve Concord. He died in 1855. His remains were moved here from Manchester in the 1890s. Rev. John Barry is also buried here. He helped establish the cemetery.
