Kent Burying Ground facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Kent Burying Ground
|
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | NE corner of Fayette Corner Rd. and Oak Hill Rd., Fayette, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architect | Kent, Elias H. |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001254 |
| Added to NRHP | December 31, 2008 |
The Kent Burying Ground is a special old cemetery in Fayette, Maine. It's found where Fayette Corner Road meets Oak Hill Road. Elias Kent started this cemetery in 1880. What makes it unique is its design. It has paths laid out in circles, like rings around a target. This style is very rare. Only one other cemetery in Maine, the Wing Family Cemetery, has a similar design. Because of its history and unique look, the Kent Burying Ground was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
Exploring the Kent Burying Ground's Unique Design
The Kent Burying Ground is in a quiet, rural area of Fayette. You can find it just northeast of where Fayette Corner Road and Oak Hill Road meet. The cemetery covers a rectangular piece of land. It's a little more than one-third of an acre in size.
How the Cemetery is Laid Out
The cemetery has a very interesting design. It features several circular paths. These paths are separated by small mounds of earth. Low granite walls hold these mounds in place. The gravestones are placed along these circular paths.
At the very center of the cemetery, there is a special memorial marker. It simply says "Kent." This marker isn't for a burial. Instead, it acts as the main focus point for the entire cemetery. An old cast-iron picket fence surrounds the whole area. There's also a gate with thin granite posts and an arch at the top. The oldest graves here date back to 1833. People have continued to be buried here into the 21st century.
The History Behind the Circular Design
Elias Kent established this cemetery around 1880. He came from a well-known local family. At that time, Fayette Corner was the main center for the community. It's not clear why Kent chose such an unusual circular layout.
The design reminds some people of the "rural cemetery style." This style was popular in cities during the mid-to-late 1800s. These cemeteries were often large, park-like spaces. They were designed for beauty and peaceful reflection. The Kent Burying Ground is much smaller, but it shares some of those ideas. Elias Kent might have been inspired by the Wing Family Cemetery. This cemetery is about five miles away in Wayne. It was started in 1867 and has a very similar circular plan.
