Backgrounder: Mount Auburn

The information for this set of pages was gleaned
from the extensive set of pamphlets available
at the Entrance Gate to Mount Auburn.
You can pick up your own copies there
for free or for a small fee.

General Background

Founded in 1831 by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Mount Auburn was the first landscaped cemetery in America and was influential in the creation of America's public parks. It is still an active cemetery but also serves as an arboretum, a museum of scupture, and a wildlife santuary.

The cemetery is open every day of the year from 8am - 5pm. During daylight savings time, the hours are extended to 7pm.

Mount Auburn is the final resting place for many famous Americans. Some include: Mary Baker Eddy, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Buckminster Fuller, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Winslow Homer, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and B.F. Skinner.

Many significant contributors in the American birding community are also buried here including William Brewster, founder of the American Ornithological Union (AOU) and Ludlow Griscom, who Roger Tory Peterson refers to in 'A Field Guide to the Birds' as "The man to whom we all owed our inspiration and expertise . . . [he] was the court of last resort in matters of field identification . . . "

For those interested in learning more about Mount Auburn, Reflections -- An Audio Tape Driving Tour of Mount Auburn Cemetery is available for rental or purchase either at the Entrance Gate or the office.

Get Involved

For those interested in supporting Mount Auburn, The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery is "a charitable trust promoting the appreciation and preservation of the cultural, historic and natural resources of Mount Auburn." Membership is open to all. Contributions are also welcomed.

Birding at Mount Auburn

There are several ways to go birding at Mount Auburn. Organized tours are offered by The Friends of Mount Auburn, The Brookline Bird Club, and the Massachusetts Audubon Society. These tours serve as a good introduction to Mount Auburn.

Here are some suggestions if you are unable to join a tour or if you prefer more independent explorations. The Entrance Gate has a sightings board and pamplets that list recent sightings with dates and locations. See what birds have been seen recently and where they've been sighted. Purchase a map, you'll need it. Expect to get lost, or at least disoriented, on the more than 10 miles of twisting roads and paths.

Another source of information is the pamphlet, Birds at Mount Auburn, which lists the best periods for observing particular species during spring migration. It is available for a small fee at the Entrance Gate.

Directions

As described in the Mount Auburn General Information sheet:

The entrance to Mount Auburn Cemetery is on Mount Auburn Street near the boundary of Cambridge and Watertown, approximately 1.5 miles west of Harvard Square, just west of Mount Auburn Hospital and Fresh Pond Parkway. Mount Auburn Street is reached via Fresh Pond Parkway or Storrow Drive (Route 2). The Cemetery is easily reached by public transportation from Harvard Square (Number 71 or 73 bus).

Rules

Remember that Mount Auburn is a cemetery and not a public park and always act accordingly.

No bikes or roller skating/blading allowed (there is a bike rack where you can lock your bike while you visit). Park with all wheels of your car on the road. Do not park on the roads with green lines. When walking stay on the roads and paths.

Film making, videotaping, and commercial photography are not allowed except by permit.