Mount Auburn Cemetery

Watertown, Massachusetts, United States

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Mount Auburn Cemetery, located in Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the first rural or garden cemetery in the United States, established in 1831 by members of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

The cemetery was designed by Henry Alexander Scammell Dearborn, with input from Jacob Bigelow and Alexander Wadsworth, to create a tranquil and picturesque landscape combining rolling hills, winding paths, and diverse plantings of trees and shrubs.

It marked a significant shift from traditional crowded churchyard burials to a spacious, park-like setting intended to comfort the living as well as honor the deceased, inspiring the American parks movement. Covering 174 acres, the cemetery includes notable monuments, sculptures, and an arboretum with many rare tree species.

Its design was influenced by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris and became a model for other cemeteries across the country, helping redefine attitudes toward death, mourning, and public green spaces. Designated a National Historic Landmark, Mount Auburn remains a cherished site blending history, nature, and art, providing a peaceful refuge for visitors year-round.​