Massachusetts has many historic cemeteries. Not surprisingly, some of the oldest cemeteries in Massachusetts happen to be located in some of the oldest towns in the state. Most of these cemeteries were established in the 17th century when the first towns were settled.
Other cemeteries on this list include historic Native-American cemeteries that were established at an unknown date as well as a few abandoned cemeteries that could not be fully identified and/or dated.
The following is a list of the oldest cemeteries in Massachusetts:
Cole’s Hill Burying Ground, Carver Street, Plymouth: 1620
King’s Chapel Burying Ground, 58 Tremont Street, Boston: 1630
Phipps Street Burying Ground, Phipps Street, Boston: 1630
Myles Standish Burial Ground, Chestnut Street, Duxbury: circa 1632
Dorchester North Burying Ground, 585 Columbia Road, Boston: 1633
Old North Burial Ground, 63 High Street, Ipswich: 1634
Old Burying Ground, Garden Street, Cambridge: circa 1636
Old North Burial Ground, 126 Norton Street, Weymouth: circa 1636
Old Burying Point Cemetery (Charter Street Cemetery), 51 Charter Street, Salem: 1637
The Burial Place, Village Ave, Dedham: 1638
Old Burial Hill, 50 Orne Street, Marblehead: 1638
Salisbury Colonial Burying Ground, 24 Beach Road, Salisbury: 1639
Rowley Burial Ground, Main Street, Rowley: 1639
Hancock Cemetery, 1307-1349 Hancock St, Quincy: circa 1640
Woburn First Burial Ground, Park Street, Woburn: 1642
First Parish Burial Ground, 122R Centennial Ave, Gloucester: 1644
North Cemetery, Old Sudbury Road, Wayland: circa 1645
Cove Burying Ground, State Highway, Eastham: 1646
Howes Family Cemetery, 48 Bramble Lane, Dennis: 1650
Clark Street Cemetery, Clark Road, Lowell: circa 1650
Vine Lake Cemetery, Main Street, Medfield: 1651
Winslow Cemtery, Winslow Cemetery Road, Marshfield: circa 1651
Old Settlers Burying Ground, Main Street, Lancaster: 1653
Lothrop Hill Cemetery, Main Street, Barnstable: 1654
Golgotha Burying Ground, Main Street, Amesbury: 1654
Broad Street Cemetery, 5 Broad Street, Salem: 1655
South Cemetery, South Main Street, Sherborn: 1655
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Hull Street, Boston: 1659
Granary Burying Ground, 83-115 Tremont Street, Boston: 1660
Copp’s Burial Ground, Hull Street, Boston: 1660
East Parish Burial Ground, Centre Street, Newton: 1660
Old Hadley Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Hadley: 1661
1661 Cemetery, Washington Street, Manchester: 1661
Nemasket Hill Burial Ground, Plymouth Street, Middleborough, 1662
Old Burying Ground, Academy Road, North Andover: circa 1662
Bridge Street Cemetery, 156 Bridge Street, Northampton: 1662
Bartlett Cemetery, Main Street, Amesbury: 1663
Sandwich Old Town Cemetery, 21 Grove Street, Sandwich: 1663
Indian Burying Ground, 126 Providence Road, Grafton: circa 1664
Old Burying Place, Arlington Street, Watertown: 1665
Bradford Burying Ground, 326 Salem Street, Haverhill: circa 1665
Richmond Family Cemetery, Route 44, Taunton: circa 1665
Old Burying Ground, Arlington Street, Watertown: 1665
Old South Burying Ground, Main Street, Peabody: 1666
First Burying Ground, Maple Street, Hatfield: circa 1669
Hill Cemetery, Elm Street, Hatfield: 1669
Bear Hill Cemetery, Pond Street, Hopkinton: 1670
Hingham Cemetery, 12 South Street, Hingham: 1672
Milton Cemetery, 211 Centre Street, Milton: 1672
Center Cemetery, 65 East Street, Wrentham: 1673
Spring Hill Cemetery, Marlborough: 1675
Saddle and Pillion Burial Ground: 6 Tupper Road, Sandwich: 1675
Reed Burying Ground, Great Road, Littleton: 1676
Woodcock Cemetery, North Washington Street, North Attleborough: 1676
Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord: 1677
Blake Cemetery, 1314 Somerset Ave, Taunton: 1678
Burial Hill, School Street, Plymouth: 1679
Wenham Cemetery, Main St, Wenham: 1681
Old Burying Ground, Main Street, Essex: 1680
Norwell Old Second Church Cemetery, 930 Main Street, Norwell: 1680
Tyng Family Cemetery, 80 Tyng Road, Tyngsborough: 1681
Burying Ground, Old Mechanic Street, Westfield: 1683
Salem Street Burying Ground, Salem Street, Medford: 1683
Hingham Center Cemetery, Hingham: 1684
Agawam Cemetery, 87 Great Neck Road, Wareham: circa 1685
Center Street Cemetery, Parker Ave, Northfield: 1686
Central Cemetery, South Main Street, Sherborn: circa 1686
Neck of Land Cemetery, Summer Street, Taunton: 1687
Eddy Burial Ground, Ledge Road, Swansea: circa 1687
High Street Cemetery, Hingham: 1688
Werden Family Cemetery, Dennis: 1688
Farm Cemetery, Farm Road, Sherborn: circa 1688
Fairfield Cemetery, William Fairfield Drive, Wenham: 1691
The Old Graveyard, South Street, West Bridgewater: 1692
Rebecca Nurse Burying Ground, Danvers: 1692
Smith Family Cemetery, Dartmouth: 1692
Rumney Marsh Burying Ground, Butler Street, Revere: 1693
Men of Kent Cemetery, Meeting House Lane, Scituate: 1693
Quaker Meetinghouse Old Burial Ground, 22 Quaker Road, Sandwich: circa 1695
South Gardner Cemetery, Old Gardners Neck Road, Swansea: circa 1696
Wadsworth Cemetery, 18 Summer Street, Danvers: 1696
Hall Family Cemetery, Corporation Road, Dennis: 1696
South Burying Ground, 8B Main Street, Concord: 1697
Church Hill Cemetery, Main Street, Framingham: 1698
Undated Native-American Burial Grounds:
Indian Burial Ground, North Main Street, Attleboro: date unknown
East Freetown Indian Burial Grounds (first burials of John Eliot’s Praying Indians), Chace Road, Freetown: date unknown
Mashpee Indian Burial Ground (Jonas), 17 Mizzenmast Road, Mashpee: date unknown, abandoned
Indian Burial Ground, Eliot Street, Natick: date unknown
Indian Burial Ground, Main Street, Stockbridge: date unknown
Indian Cemetery, 1168R Russell Mills Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
Undated Abandoned Cemeteries:
Cudworth Family Burial Ground, Prospect Street, Auburn: date unknown
Akin family Cemetery, Akin Street, Dartmouth: date unknown
Macomber, Elijah Cemetery, Fisher Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
Barker Family Cemetery, Manchester Lane, Dartmouth: date unknown
Mosher Family Cemetery, Old Faunce Corner Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
Sambo Slocum Cemetery, 171R Gaffrey Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
Vieira Farm Cemetery, Jordan Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR 850] Name unknown, Butterfly Trail, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR 855] Name unknown, 133 Horseneck Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR 860] Name unknown, 1077 Reed Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR.868] Name unknown, 1168R Russells Mills Rd, Dartmouth: date unknown
Sherman Family Cemetery, Division Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR 869] Name unknown, 441R Elm Street, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: DAR 880] Name unknown, 239 Cross Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
Anthony Snell Burial Ground, Hart Street, Dighton: date unknown
Lee Family Cemetery, Perry Street, Douglas: date unknown
Slocum, Sambo Cemetery, 171R Gaffney Rd, Dartmouth: date unknown
Quaker Burial Ground, Amherst Road, Pelham: date unknown
Vinal – Barnes Tomb, Booth Hill Road, Scituate: date unknown
Gardner – Anthony Burial Ground, Lees River Ave, Somerset: date unknown
Slade Cemetery, Brayton Street, Swansea: date unknown
Greenwood Quaker Burial Ground, Fremont Street, Taunton: date unknown
Rivers Road Cemetery, Rivers Road, Tolland: date unknown
Cummings Burial Ground, 83 Asbury Street, Topsfield: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: UXB.829] Name Unknown, 500 Chesnut Street, Uxbridge: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: UXB.828] Name unknown, 27 Gary Lane, Uxbridge: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: UXB.830], Name unknown, 195 King Street, Uxbridge: date unknown
Tucker Cemetery, 560 West Street, Uxbridge: date unknown
Christiantown Burial Ground, Christiantown Road, West Tisbury: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.876] Name unknown, 142 Briggs Road, Westport: date unknown
Macomber – White Burial Ground, 15 Cape Bial Lane, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.878] Name unknown, 14 Clyde’s Way, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.867] Name unknown, 212 Cornell Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.868] Name unknown, 1168R Russells Mills Road, Dartmouth: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.879] Name unknown, 36 Crane Street, Westport: date unknown
Rev. Perry Davis Burial Ground, Davis Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.884] Name unknown, 1165 Drift Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.883] Name unknown, 1489 Drift Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.875] Name unknown, 1612B Drift Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.885] Name unknown, 249B Fisherville Lane, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.8002] Name unknown, 27 Horseneck Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.888] Name unknown, 657 Horseneck Road, Westport: date unknown
Cornell Burial Ground, Main Road, Westport: date unknown
Howard Private Lot Burial Ground, 383 Main Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.871] Name unknown, 468 Main Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.890] Name unknown, 479 Main Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.872] Name unknown, 1219A Main Road, Westport: date unknown
Howard Burial Ground, 808 Old County Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.870] Name unknown, Old Harbor Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.892] Name unknown, 233 Old Harbor Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.8001] Name unknown, 601 Old Harbor Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.895] Name unknown, 501 Pine Hill Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.866] Name unknown, 850 Pine Hill Road, Westport: date unknown
Joshua Cemetery Petty, Sanford Road, Westport: date unknown
[MACRIS Inventory No: WSP.899] Name unknown, 592 Sodom Road, Westport: date unknown
Sources:
Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, mhc-macris.net/
Amesbury Reconnaissance Report, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, May 2005, amesburyma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif2731/f/file/file/amesbury_landscape_inventory_2005.pdf
Salisbury Reconnaissance Report, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, May 2005, mass.gov/doc/salisbury/download
Kelly, Joyce. “Interpretive sign installed at Watertown burial ground.” Wicked Local, 28 Jan. 2013, wickedlocal.com/article/20130128/NEWS/301289625
Cerullo, Mac. “Volunteers restore Salisbury’s oldest gravestones.” Newburyport News, 8 May. 2013, newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/volunteers-restore-salisburys-oldest-gravestones/article_3dfaaefb-2de7-5ec0-9954-4b234f19237c.html
Neal, Jeff. “Amid the Old Burying Ground.” Harvard Gazette, 28 Oct. 2015 news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2015/10/in-the-old-burying-ground/
“The Burial Ground.” The Sons and Daughters of the First Settlers of Newbury, Massachusetts, sonsanddaughtersofnewbury.org/the-burial-ground
“First Settler’s Burying Ground.” Town of Newbury, townofnewbury.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif951/f/uploads/first_settlersfinal_7.21.20.pdf
“Old Burying Ground.” NPS.gov, nps.gov/places/old-burying-ground.htm
“Coles Hill Burial Ground.” Plymouth-ma.gov, plymouth-ma.gov/cemetery-and-crematory-management/pages/coles-hill-burial-ground
Moulton, John. Tombstone Inscriptions from the Old Burying Ground, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, files.usgwarchives.net/ma/essex/towns/lynn/cemeteries/oldburying.txt
I was just reading through your list of oldest cemeteries in Massachusetts. We had always believed that our Old Burying Ground in Westfield was one of the oldest cemeteries sill in its original location in Massachusetts. It was established on April 27, 1668. I believe your list has it established in 1683, which is actually the date of our oldest remaining stone, but the cemetery is older. Do you know how I could find out if the other cemeteries mentioned in your list are still in their original location? Thank you for your help!
A lot of the dates for the cemeteries come from the MACRIS website, which is run by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and they usually date the cemetery by the oldest stone, even though that’s not always accurate but it’s all they have to go on sometimes. Occasionally, if I could find some town record or historical record that dated a specific cemetery even earlier I would use that instead but that isn’t always easy to come by. So it’s totally possible that the Old Burying Ground in Westfield is actually older. I don’t know how you could find out if a cemetery is in its original location other than looking up the town history and seeing if they mention it being moved. The MACRIS website has the historical commission application for many of the sites listed so you could look up a specific cemetery and read the application. The application for the Old Burying Ground in Westfield says it was constructed in 1683 but then later on says it also dates to 1668 so it’s not really clear. I think they believe it was constructed in 1668 but the 1683 headstone is the only actual evidence they have so that’s what they go by.