President’ s Corner
Sweet Auburn
A publication of the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery
580 Mount Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-7105 www. mountauburn. org
Editorial Committee
Priscilla P. Morris, Editor Senior Vice President of Development
Stephen H. Anable, Managing Editor Communications Coordinator & Writer
David P. Barnett, Contributing Editor President & CEO, Mount Auburn Cemetery
Dennis Collins Horticultural Curator
Candace Currie Director of Planning & Cemetery Development
Bree D. Harvey Director of Education & Visitor Services
Jennifer J. Johnston, Photo Editor Visual Services Coordinator & Staff Photographer
Stephen R. Silver Director of Leadership & Planned Giving
Brian A. Sullivan Archivist
Margaret L. Winslow Curator of Historical Collections
Designer
Elizabeth Bonadies
Printer
P + R Publications
Cover photo: Baltimore Oriole, by George McLean of Medford, MA
Trustees of the Friends of Mount Auburn
Mary Lee Aldrich, Cambridge, MA Clemmie Cash, Chair, Wellesley, MA Thomas C. Cooper, Watertown, MA Caroline Loughlin, Weston, MA Sean McDonnell, Cambridge Caroline Mortimer, Cambridge Ann M. Roosevelt, Cambridge
Honorary Trustee of the Friends Susan W. Paine, Cambridge
The Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery was established in 1986 to assist in the conservation of the Cemetery’ s natural beauty and to promote the appreciation of its cultural, historic and natural resources. Organized in 1990 as a 501( c) 3 nonprofit charitable trust, the Friends seeks financial support from its members, other individuals, foundations, corporations and public agencies. It receives gifts for educational and interpretive programs and materials for the public, specific cultural projects, and operating support for horticultural rejuvenation and the preservation of the historic monuments, structures, and archival artifacts and records. The Friends has over 1,200 active members.
Correction Our previous issue did not include the source of the diary featured in“ Stories Behind the Stones: Everything that human love could do was done”: Papers of Samuel Eliot, Boston Athanaeum, Special Collections, Call # L140 2 | Sweet Auburn
President’ s Corner
In this, my first“ President’ s Corner” column for Sweet Auburn, I must begin by saying that it is an honor to be addressing you as the 13th President in Mount Auburn Cemetery’ s distinguished 177-year history. In particular, it is an honor to follow in the footsteps of Bill Clendaniel, the man who hired me as Director of Horticulture 15 years ago. Bill, of course, left gigantic shoes to fill, but he also left an incredibly strong team— of dedicated staff and Trustees— to carry out our mission of preservation and service. He left us with two comprehensive documents— a pioneering Master Plan and a far-reaching Strategic Plan that provide clear direction as well as a framework for all of our future activities. We are working diligently to enhance the visitor experience, expand cemetery services, ensure the preservation of our buildings and structures, and be worthy stewards
David Barnett
of the natural and ornamental landscape. All of this will require continued— and in fact increased— funding, in terms of earned revenue and contributed support. Our endowment, like everyone’ s, has suffered a considerable decline during the last year, and we will no doubt have to postpone some projects and delay implementing some of our ambitious goals. However, thanks to the diligence and dedication of our Trustees and the creativity and energy of our staff, we are still in sound financial condition. I am sure we will weather these relatively short-term difficulties and emerge even stronger as we plan for the next century and beyond.
Mount Auburn means so much to our visitors for so many different reasons, and I am excited to have the opportunity to lead this great institution and this great team forward. I hope that you will continue to visit Mount Auburn frequently, enjoying the beautiful landscape, the magnificent trees, the abundance of birds and other wildlife, the precious history, art and architecture— and perhaps visit the resting places of your loved ones. We are, after all, still very much an active cemetery, offering new interment space and providing cemetery services to families during their time of need.
In fact, the lead article in this Sweet Auburn discusses how monuments and other forms of commemoration have evolved throughout Mount Auburn’ s history and how we are continuing to provide innovative options to families. Our newest interment landscape, Birch Gardens, just opened this past September and is the latest example of how we remain active and relevant as a cemetery by creating new burial and commemorative space while also preserving— and in fact enhancing— our beautiful and historically significant landscape. We have many other dynamic projects in our future, including the new Horticulture Center and Family Center presented on page 21. I look forward to your continued support and interest in Mount Auburn.
David P. Barnett, President
pg. 10
pg. 18 pg. 20
PHOTO By Tom johnson