Around Town

Burials at Local Cemeteries Spiked During COVID-19 Surge in Massachusetts

By |

Gravestones at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Two of the largest cemeteries in Watertown saw a huge increase in the number of burials during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts. At the Town-operated Ridgelawn Cemetery, the number of burials almost doubled compared to a year ago, according to Jesse Myott, Department of Public Works Director of Administration & Finance. “The last few months we have seen a significant increase in — not to be cold, but — cemetery operations,” Myott told the Town Council last week. “It is nothing like anything that any of our senior staff has ever seen, and we have a number of 10 and 20 year veterans.

Around Town

Decision on Sale of Mt. Auburn Cemetery Land Coming in January

By |

The bids have been submitted for the land being sold by the Mount Auburn Cemetery on Grove Street, but a decision will not be made until after the New Year. Bids were due in late November and the Cemetery’s Board of Trustees met on Dec. 12 to look at the proposals. Dave Barnett, President and CEO of Mount Auburn Cemetery, said the board is still considering the proposals. “We are fortunate to have multiple attractive bids,” Barnett said.

Around Town

LETTER: Former Town Councilor Urges Support of Town/BB&N Fields Agreement

By |

A drawing of the proposed playing fields that BB&N School wants to build on Grove Street. The land currently belongs to Mount Auburn Cemetery. Dear friends and neighbors,

As many of you may have heard, the Mount Auburn Cemetery’s property on Grove Street is up for sale. Just next door to Filippello Park, the site is currently being leased by the Mount Auburn Hospital for employee parking. Most bidders on the lot are looking to build lab/office or residential space there. This means more cars on Grove Street and no chance at expanding our open and green space in Watertown. There’s also a historic home on the site called the Shick House which isn’t likely to be saved under that scenario. The Shick family once operated a dairy farm from that house in the mid 1900’s. The Trustees of the cemetery have a fiduciary responsibility to be responsible stewards of the cemetery’s assets for the long-term and have chosen to liquidate the asset. They’re going to make the responsible choice for their institution and one can hardly blame them.

Around Town

LETTER: East End Councilor Calls Town’s Partnership with BB&N “Win-Win”

By |

A drawing of the proposed playing fields that BB&N School wants to build on Grove Street. The land currently belongs to Mount Auburn Cemetery. Hello East Enders,

Interesting possibilities are on the horizon…………. The private, Buckingham, Browne and Nichols School (BB&N) has shown an interest in purchasing the Mount Auburn Cemetery property at 165-183 Grove St. in our East End of Watertown.

BB&N

Town, BB&N School Seek Fields Partnership, Must Get Land from Cemetery, First

By |

A drawing of the proposed playing fields that BB&N School wants to build on Grove Street. The land currently belongs to Mount Auburn Cemetery. Officials from the Town of Watertown and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School enthusiastically touted a proposed public-private partnership involving playing fields in East Watertown, Tuesday night. There is one major hurdle, however — the land is owned by the Mount Auburn Cemetery. At the Town Council meeting, BB&N Head of School Jennifer Price outlined the proposed partnership involving a new playing field complex the private independent school would like to build on Grove Street in exchange for the school having access to fields at Town-owned Filippello Park.

Around Town

Renovation of Mt. Auburn Cemetery’s Chapel Completed

By |

Renovation of Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Bigelow Chapel was recently completed. The following information was provided by Shawmut Design and Construction:

Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading $1.4 billion national construction management firm, announced its completion of a $15 million renovation of Mount Auburn’s Bigelow Chapel. The National Historic Landmark, located in Watertown reopened in December 2018 following enhancements to the 19th century building. Shawmut, together with William Rawn Associates and CSL, worked to enhance and preserve Bigelow Chapel’s façade and interior, which was originally constructed in 1845 out of Quincy granite. The team installed a new, floor-to-ceiling glass addition that complements the original Gothic Revival design by Dr. Jacob Bigelow and connects visitors within the space to the beautiful and meditative landscape outside.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Cemetery Selling Land in Watertown

By |

Mount Auburn Cemetery. Mount Auburn Cemetery is seeking a buyer for several acres of land in Watertown which it owns. According to a Boston Globe article, the historic cemetery located in Watertown and Cambridge plans to sell six acres of land. See the story here. The land, located on Grove Street, currently has a parking lot and used to be a cement plant.