It’s as New England as foliage-finding: our cemeteries are cool, from the spare, simple slates of early colonial days, to the florid sentiment of Victorian-era monuments and mausoleums. And the many unknown, unmarked graves, perhaps without names, but no less in sanctity, perhaps a life to be discovered, and a story waiting to be told.
And as Halloween beckons, both visitors and locals like to lurk among these testaments to lives lived, to learn about history, perhaps to trace geneaology, or to pose for selfies and videos.
But there’s a lot to understand about visiting these landmarks, aware of them as sacred resting places as well as regional attractions.
Caroline Bigelow, cemetery researcher and tour guide, offered tips for stopping by safely and respectfully. “If you are at a more-visited cemetery, stick to the path whenever possible to prevent wear and tear on the grass,” said Bigelow, who serves on the Friends of Hope Cemetery board, and as chapter officer for the Massachusetts chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Bigelow said, “Cemeteries are the homes for the dead, and you are a guest in their home. They enjoy having visitors who are pleasant and respectful.”
Bigelow said, “Look around and appreciate their gravemarkers, listen to their stories, and get to know the people they were in life. Look up the cemetery rules and regulations before you go and abide by them.”
Most cemeteries are closed between dusk and dawn, Bigelow notes. “So, unless you are on a scheduled night time tour, please do not go into a cemetery at night: the dead need their rest, too.”
Bigelow offered a list of some favorite graves and cemeteries in the Worcester area, especially for autumn:
October represents peak season for leaf-peeping, but also for cemetery tours, such as the Preservation Worcester-hosted “Rural Remains,” whose final date was Oct. 24.
Bigelow plans a tour at Hope Cemetery in November, with a date to be announced. “As it gets into the colder months, I’ll be doing Lives on my Facebook Page (Caroline the Koimetrophile),” Bigelow said. “I update my Facebook and Instagram pages daily.”
For reading on a chilly autumn day, or evening, Bigelow said, “One book I’d recommend for people who want to explore cemeteries is The Beginner’s Guide to Cemetery Sleuthing by Erin E. Moulton.”
Margaret Smith is content editor of Worcester Magazine, and science columnist for the Telegram & Gazette. Her column, “Woo! Science” appears in alternating Sunday editions of the Telegram & Gazette.