West Parish Burying Ground facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Parish Burying Ground
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| Location | River and Cherry street, West Newton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001221 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 2004 |
The West Parish Burying Ground is an old cemetery in West Newton, Massachusetts. It is also known as the River Street Burying Ground or River Street Cemetery. This historic place is located at River and Cherry streets. It is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery was started in 1777. Today, the City of Newton takes care of it. The Second Church in Newton first owned the land. This church was once called the West Parish.
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Exploring the West Parish Burying Ground
This cemetery is about 1.6 acres big. That's like a little more than one football field! It sits at the corner of River and Cherry Streets. This spot is just north of West Newton's town center. A low stone wall surrounds the cemetery. On top of the wall is a special iron fence.
What does the cemetery look like?
You can find the entrance on River Street. It has strong granite posts. A chain-link gate keeps it secure. Inside, there are no paved roads. But you can still see paths that form a grid. The cemetery has family plots and single graves. Most headstones face west. In 2004, there were 170 grave markers. There used to be about 200 at the start of the 1900s.
A brief history of the burying ground
Newton was first settled in 1660. It became a town in 1688. Later, it became a city in 1873. The first church and cemetery were in Newton Corner. By the mid-1700s, many people lived in western Newton. They needed their own church.
The Second Church in Newton was started in 1778. This burying ground officially opened in 1781. However, the first burials happened even earlier, in 1777. At least five members of the Fuller family were buried here. The Fuller family gave the land for the cemetery. They are buried in one of the special tomb mounds.
When did people stop using the cemetery?
People used this cemetery less after 1855. That's when the much larger Newton Cemetery opened. The Newton Cemetery was built in a popular "rural cemetery" style. The last known burial here was in 1891. In the 1880s, the cemetery was given to the city. The city made a detailed record of it in 1901. This record included all the burials and its layout.
Who takes care of the cemetery now?
Today, the City of Newton owns the cemetery. A group called Historic Newton helps keep the graves safe. They also preserve the tombs in Newton's historic burying grounds. These old cemeteries are not open to the public.
Important People Buried Here
- Rev. William Greenough: He was the first pastor of the Second Church in Newton. He passed away on November 10, 1831.
