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What Makes This Place Special?
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz (1807-1873)
Louis Agassiz, scientist, geologist, zoologist and teacher, was born on May 28, 1807. Read More
Northwest Corner Developed
In the early 1870s the Cemetery acquired several parcels on its northwestern edge known as the Chant and Watriss properties. Up to this time the Cemetery's edge lay at present day Excelsior Path. The Watriss property was purchased from the Catholic Church in 1870 and the Chant property in 1873. These were intended for cemetery expansion and to alleviate drainage problems in the area. The Chant property was raised an average of three to four feet, and in some places up to six feet, with fill material brought from the Stone Farm area of the Cemetery. Read More
The American Robin
The Robin is perhaps the most familiar bird in North America; it occurs throughout most of the continent with the exception of northern Alaska and the treeless tundra north of Hudson Bay. I think if you asked every person to name a bird, I bet the Robin would be named most often. Not much of a problem identifying the Robin, the sexes are similar, but the female tends to be duller than the male, with a brown tint to the head, brown upperparts and less bright underparts. The young birds are paler in color than the adult male and have dark spots on its breast. Read More
Eileen F. (Aries) Janiak (1948-2012)
Eileen F. (Aries) Janiak, 64, passed away on September 24, 2012 following a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Cambridge on September 3, … Read More
Horticulture Highlight: Pinus bungeana
Look, the trees are turning their own bodies into pillars of light... -Mary Oliver One unusual tree that literally may fulfill Oliver's poetic imagery is Pinus bungeana, lacebark pine. This has the most beautiful bark among all of the over one-hundred different species of world-wide pines, which occur primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. Native to China it was named to honor Alexander Bunge (1803-1890), the Russian botanist and explorer who first sighted it growing in a temple garden in Beijing in 1831 (the year of Mount Auburn's founding). Read More
Coyotes at Mount Auburn
Coyote Siblings at Mount Auburn, December 2011 Photo by John "Garp" Harrison Coyotes have lived harmoniously around Mount Auburn and the neighboring Charles River for many years. Mount Auburn Cemetery is aware of coyotes living on our grounds today. They have posed no threat to Mount Auburn visitors, though one should be aware of their presence while exploring. Young coyotes are less fearful of humans and often observed during daylight hours. Please observe these coyotes, and all wildlife, from a safe distance. Read More
New Pump House and Wells Installed
In 1967, a badly needed upgrade was made to Mount Auburn's aging water distribution system. Parts of the system, some laid as long ago as 1860, were beginning to fail. The first phase of the upgrade involved the construction of a large brick pump house. Read More
January
There is no better time to come and enjoy our impressive evergreens. Mount Auburn’s conifer collection is noted for its size and diversity. With more than 80 … Read More
Horticultural Highlight: Asters
Summer passed Firefly fast Now dancing asters Have a blast… -Amy VanDerwater Though asters begin to bloom in summer, it is as the autumn approaches that we really begin to appreciate their returning beauty. Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) wrote of the aster, “the everlasting fashion of eternity.” If not eternal, at least ancient, as both Greek and Roman mythology praised these wildflowers. Some Greeks believed that Virgo scattered stardust on the earth, resulting in fields of flowering asters. The word aster is from the Greek word “astron” for star. Early Romans said that Asterea, the goddess of innocence and purity, looking down upon the earth saw no stars. This saddened her and she began to cry, where her tears fell, the asters bloomed. Read More
Chapel Rebuilt and Statues Commissioned
In 1853, the Cemetery Trustees voted to take down the Chapel and rebuild it to correct the original structural deficiencies. In reconstructing the building about 200 … Read More