The Epitaph
Spring 2021 Newsletter
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AN ACTIVE BURIAL PLACE RICH IN HISTORY |
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Greetings!
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and staff, I am pleased to welcome you to the first issue of The Epitaph, the Lowell Cemetery’s quarterly newsletter. One definition for the word epitaph is "something by which a person, time, or event will be remembered." We believe it is an appropriate name for our newsletter because of the Cemetery's contribution to Lowell's past, present and future history.
It is fitting that this inaugural issue will mark the 180th anniversary of our opening day on June 20, 1841. We are an active cemetery offering an array of end-of-life services while also functioning as a contemplative site for walking, bird watching, exploring historic monuments and simply enjoying our beautiful grounds. Newsletter articles will highlight, among other things, a monument or figure from the cemetery's history, discuss wildlife habitation, present the latest methods for restoration, conservation and preservation of monuments and grounds, introduce new cemetery projects, and offer tips on horticultural practices.
I encourage you to visit the Lowell Cemetery and enjoy all it has to offer.
Robert S. McKittrick, President
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When I began my journey into the history and conservation of historic cemeteries, I sought out like-minded people to connect. What I discovered is that people who are passionate about cemeteries come from remarkably diverse backgrounds. I came to see cemeteries not only as a collection of gravestones and memorials, but also a greenspace filled with so such more to explore.
While I could go on for days about the beauty of Lowell Cemetery it will suffice to say I am more than excited to curate a collection of articles from knowledgeable peers that will highlight the different ways to enjoy this serene space throughout the year. I appreciate any feedback and suggestions of topics that you the readers would like to see in the future.
Kim Zunino, Editor
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Photo is of the Receiving Tomb
at Lowell Cemetery
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Newly elected President of the Lowell Cemetery Board of Trustees, Robert S. McKittrick (left), presented outgoing President James D. Latham with a framed photograph of the Ayer Lion at the Annual Meeting, held on March 8, 2021. President McKittrick has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2003. Former President Latham has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 1978 and had held the position of President since 2010. |
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Memorial Day in Lowell
by Richard Howe, Jr.
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As the last Monday in May approaches each year, the natural springtime beauty of Lowell Cemetery is enhanced by countless flower pots and displays left at graves by family members and friends. Today, all decedents are remembered on Memorial Day but that has not always been the case.
Nationally, Memorial Day was first observed in the years after the Civil War. Most likely, it was created in 1868 by General John Logan, the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic (the mammoth organization for northern veterans of the Civil War) who ordered that all GAR posts hold some type of ceremony to honor their departed comrades. “In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit,” Logan wrote. The end of May was selected because flowers were then at their peak beauty.
In Lowell, Memorial Day began for the GAR members with morning church services after which they dispersed to the various cemeteries in the city to lay flowers at the graves of their comrades. Participants would then reconvene for lunch and socializing. Eventually an afternoon parade was added to the observance.
Even in 1919, just six months after the end of World War I, Memorial Day in Lowell was still focused on the Civil War. That year, 55 Civil War veterans participated, an impressive turnout considering the youngest of them would have been at least 75 years old. The 1919 Memorial Day parade began at 4 p.m. at the South Common. Besides the Civil War veterans, the parade featured veterans of the Spanish American War and numerous paramilitary organizations, bands, and civic groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. There were also 175 veterans of the World War who marched.
During the 20 years between the end of World War I and the start of World War II, as the remaining Civil War veterans passed from the scene, the focus of Memorial Day in Lowell shifted from a Civil War-centric observance to one that recognized the sacrifice of all who gave their lives in service of the country.
Regrettably, the parade that once drew 7,500 marchers and 75,000 spectators is no more but the Greater Lowell Veterans Council, successor to the Lowell GAR posts, gathers each year to carry on the rituals first observed in 1868. And as Memorial Day has evolved to a time to honor all who have died, countless others visit the cemetery to remember departed family and friends.
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After your spring bulbs have finished their beautiful display, remember your must let the green foliage stay until it fades to yellow. The sunlight absorbed into the leaves creates energy for production of sugar that replenishes the bulb for the next season. I usually don't cut back until the week of Father's Day. When planting bulbs in your perennial garden, it's a good idea to plant a perennial nearby to hide the foliage of the fading bulbs. Some gardeners also choose to plant annuals to remind them where the faded bulbs are located.
As a gardener if you plant a succession of blooming plants this will keep your garden beautiful all season long.
-Gardener Julie
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On the Anniversary of the Dedication of Lowell Cemetery
by Kim Zunino
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“We consecrate this as the place where the monuments and the inscriptions shall utter their monitory voice, and art and classic taste shall conspire with Autumn’s fading leaf, and Winter’s snowy livery, and the jubilee shout of the Springtime, and Summer’s golden glories, and the flowing river, and the leaping brook, and the insects’ hum, and the zephyr’s requiem, and the warbling of the birds, and the lovely landscape around, and the blue heavens above; to soothe, to tranquilize, and to elevate the soul.
Rev. Amos Blanchard, Jr., Pastor of the First Congregational Church
at the Dedication of Lowell Cemetery on June 20, 1841
On that rainy Sunday in June, Rev. Amos Blanchard, Jr. delivered his nature-inspired address to a crowd of Lowell citizens. The Lowell Union Singing Society, led by J.C. Aiken, had just performed the hymn "There is a Land of Pure Delight" to start the program, followed by a prayer offered by Rev. Lemuel Porter of the Worthen Street Baptist Church. It was then the Rev. Blanchard addressed the crowd. He spoke of burial practices through the ages and called the city's older graveyards “abodes of desolation,” to contrast the old view of mortality against the new romanticized version of death that the Lowell Cemetery represented: a place of peaceful eternal slumber. He praised the joining of nature and art in the cemetery landscape. At the time of the dedication, the Cemetery had one entrance on Lawrence Street, and even without the entry gates or monuments the landscape held a sense of solemn reverence. This was a peaceful place away from city life, a place where the artfully laid paths did not fight the natural landscape, but embraced it lovingly. The absence of a public park in Lowell at the time added to the novelty of the greenspace so close to the city center but so far from its "chaos and monotony." The attendees were from all walks of life, the old and the young, the rich and the poor, men and women, and they were all huddled together under the "wide-spread branches of native oaks" as noted by the Lowell Courier newspaper. Rev. Blanchard was praised for his address, and it was followed by a consecrating prayer by Rev. Henry A. Miles, and another hymn was sung before the benediction by Rev. Dr. Packard ended the dedication ceremony. Over the years, the Lowell Cemetery has continued to be a delightful and peaceful repose that serves as a place of eternal slumber for those who have passed and a place of quiet reflection for the living.
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James C. Ayer Monument at Lowell Cemetery |
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Private Tours of Lowell Cemetery |
Private tours for school groups, garden clubs, historical societies, and social organizations can be arranged by contacting the Cemetery office at: staff@lowellcemetery.com or by calling the Cemetery office at:
978-454-5191
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Use of Flowers in Gravestone Symbolism |
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Floriography, the use of flowers to communicate feelings or sentiments, was popular during the Victorian era (1837-1901). Since it coincided with the rise of the garden cemetery in America, they were often used to convey sentiment on gravestones and memorials found in these cemeteries. Sometimes, it wasn't just the species of flower chosen, but how the blooms were depicted that adds meaning to the memorial of a loved one. A flower can represent the life of the departed, and a cut stem highlights the death, while the stage of bloom represents when they were plucked from life. A bud represents a child, a partial bloom a young adult, and a full bloom represents one in the the prime of life. A withered flower or harvested wheat represent a full life. |
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The Lowell Cemetery is a private, non-municipal, non-denominational, garden-style cemetery located in Lowell, Massachusetts.
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The Lowell Cemetery plants more than
18,000 tulip bulbs every fall!
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Address:
77 Knapp Avenue
Lowell, MA 01852
Phone:
978-454-5191
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