Central Cemetery, in operation since the 18th century, is a historic and relaxing place to visit. It features a wide range of memorials and headstones, appealing to both descendants of those buried there and fans of burial grounds. The cemetery is home to significant graves, including that of Nathan Dane, a notable lawyer who contributed to American jurisprudence and the abolition of slavery in the Northwest Territories. Visitors can explore numerous plots dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
This review is primarily for descendants and relatives of those buried here, but I know there are fans of burial grounds and you'll love this one too.
As one of America's most historic cemeteries this has a number of significant graves including that of my ggu Nathan Dane, a lawyer who helped prohibit slavery in the Northwest Territories, wrote one of the first treatises on American jurisprudence and endowed a chair at Harvard Law that exists to this day.
His grave is in the attached photo.
There are numerous other plots with graves from the 17 and 1800s.
Central Cemetery is just around the corner from the Beverly Common and the library. It's a typical New England cemetery with a blend of historic and newer looking headstones. Many of the older headstones are weathered and difficult to read, leaning to the side, and dated in the 1800s (my favorite kind of tombstones!). Foot traffic is pretty low but since it's still in a highly residential area, you can hear some traffic noises. There's tons of foliage here, too, which is a plus. YELP'S 2020 REVIEW CHALLENGE: #16