Beneath the towering elegance of St. Joseph Church, a secret lies buried. Not within its hallowed halls, but beneath the very ground we stand on. St. Joseph Church, established in 1845 in Roxbury, has a history more profound than its impressive architecture suggests. The church, along with its rectory, convent, and school, became a landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. But its story took a somber turn. In 2002, the archdiocese closed the parish and the property was sold. This seemingly final chapter, however, unveiled a hidden narrative. Unbeknownst to many, a small cemetery lay forgotten on the grounds of St. Joseph Church. Consecrated in 1850, it served as the final resting place for around 600 souls, primarily Irish immigrants from County Donegal. By 1868, the cemetery reached capacity, fading from maps and memory. Over time, it became an unassuming field, its gravestones hidden beneath the earth. The forgotten cemetery reemerged in the 1990s. A construction crew unearthed a gravestone. Then again, during excavations in 2006, a bone was discovered, prompting investigation by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. The forgotten graves were rediscovered. The remains found at St. Joseph Cemetery were respectfully re-interred at Calvary Cemetery in Waltham. St. Joseph Church stands as a testament to the passage of time, its grounds holding both the memories of a thriving parish and the quiet whispers of those who rested there, unknowingly a part of its evolving story.
Rumney Marsh Burial Ground
A chill wind whispers through the aged headstones. This is Rumney Marsh Burial Ground. This historic cemetery dates back to