Remember this spot as hallowed ground for the earliest settlers. This is East Parish Burying Ground. It’s also known as Centre Street Cemetery. You’ll find it where Centre and Cotton streets meet in Newton, Massachusetts.
East Parish Burying Ground dates way back. We’re talking the 1660s. Back then, “parish” meant both political and religious stuff. The East Parish Church was the First Church in Newton. It got going in 1664 and celebrated 300 years in 1964. But it closed in 1973 after trying to join up with its daughter churches. Those were Second Church in Newton and Eliot Church.
Look around at this historic space. East Parish Burying Ground was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 23, 1983. Some say it’s the most important, evocative, and fragile historic spot in the city.
This East Parish Burying Ground covers about three acres. It holds around 700 gravestones. That count doesn’t include the tombs. Those were sealed way back in 1913. The earliest death recorded here is 1668. The latest is 1980.
Check out the First Settlers Monument here at East Parish Burying Ground. It went up on September 1, 1852. It honors those first folks in East Parish. The north side says Deacon John Jackson gave the first acre for this burial place and the First Church. His son, Abraham Jackson, gave two more acres for the old part of the cemetery. Edward Jackson donated 20 acres in 1660 and another 31 acres in 1681.
The west side lists 20 early settlers. It shows when they arrived in Newton and when they died. The earliest arrival was 1640. The latest was 1664. The south side remembers Thomas Wiswall. He was ordained ruling elder on July 20, 1664. It also remembers his four sons. The east side honors Reverend John Eliot Jr. He was the first pastor of First Church in Newton. He was ordained on the same day as Wiswall. It also notes his widow remarried. His only daughter married too. His only son went to Windsor, Connecticut. He died there leaving a son.
East Parish Burying Ground fronts Centre Street to the west and Cotton Street to the south. The actual corner is Loring Park. It’s a city-owned strip. The north and east sides of the burying ground touch land owned by the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Across Centre Street is the old Newton College of the Sacred Heart campus. Now, Boston College owns it. They use it for the law school and to house freshmen. Cotton Street roughly marks the line between Newton Corner to the north and Newton Centre to the south.
Today, the City of Newton owns East Parish Burying Ground. They call it Centre Street Cemetery. Historic Newton looks after keeping the graves and tombs in good shape. Remember this East Parish Burying Ground. Think of the stories held within these stones.