“ We derive solace … that when the hour of separation comes , these earthly remains will still retain the tender regard of those whom we leave behind .”
— Joseph Story , Address at Dedication of Mount Auburn Cemetery , September 24 , 1831
Story Lot , 313 Narcissus Path . Engraving by James Smillie , 1847 .
One Hundred Ninety Years of Mount Auburn Cemetery Presidents 1831 – 2021 ince 1831 , twelve presidents have shaped and
S protected the cultural and natural resources of Mount Auburn Cemetery . Their stewardship has
provided successive generations with a place of comfort , commemoration , and inspiration . For nearly two centuries , they have contended with times of war , economic depression , labor shortages , pandemic , and climate change while adapting to evolving ideas about death , commemoration , and landscape design . Each has faced the challenge of balancing the philosophical principles of the founders with the need to ensure Mount Auburn ’ s longevity .
By Melissa Banta Consulting Curator , Historical Collections & Archives
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