Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Environmental Leader and Innovator | Page 21

Remembering
Caroline Loughlin
by Meg Winslow, Curator of Historical Collections; Jane Carroll, Vice President of Development,
and Melissa Banta, Horticultural Collections Consultant
In April 2000, Caroline Loughlin had an initial
interview about volunteering at Mount Auburn. When
asked when she would like to start, Caroline replied
without missing a beat, “How about right now?” That day
began the long and tremendously rewarding association
between Caroline and the Cemetery.
Caroline’s career had been distinguished by an abiding
interest in and commitment to history, preservation, and
landscape design. Among her many contributions to the
field, Caroline was nationally recognized for her active
stewardship of the legacy of landscape designer Frederick
Law Olmsted, including editing and contributing to the
Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted; The Master List of Design
Projects of the Olmsted Firm 1857 – 1979; and the Olmsted
Research Guide Online.
Caroline was naturally drawn to Mount Auburn and
to the preservation of the archival records that illuminate
its rich history and landscape. For 13 dedicated years, she
volunteered one day a week in the Historical Collections
Department. Much of her work entailed responding to
genealogical research requests, which was gratifying to her
personally and to the countless families whom she helped.
Caroline indexed, and also read, all of the annual reports,
trustee minutes, newsletters, and historic volumes of cor-
respondence dating back to the Cemetery’s founding. She
catalogued every book for the Cemetery’s library and read
much of what she catalogued. She donated many books
to the library and participated in the Friends of Mount
Auburn book club, always wearing her “book” sweater on
book club days. Staff came to rely on Caroline’s remarkably
sharp editorial skills and insightful, practical advice on all
kinds of Cemetery projects. They also delighted in the
cartoons she shared
each week, clipped
from the newspapers
she read daily, and her
famous lace cookies,
which she frequently
brought to meetings.
Caroline was
passionate about the
preservation of the archival records that illuminate Mount
Auburn’s histor y and landscape. She actively supported
efforts to preserve and make Mount Auburn’s primary
documents available to the staff and public in order to
deepen our understanding of the historical meaning and
context of the Cemetery. Over the years, Caroline made
generous annual contributions that resulted in the renova-
tion of two vaults for storage of historic records; the digital
capture of 65 volumes of historic Cemetery correspondence
and countless founding documents; and the processing and
preservation of individual lot files containing fragile work
orders, monument blueprints, historic photographs, planting
plans, and family correspondence.
Additionally, Caroline made capital gifts for the new
greenhouse and the new entrance to Story Chapel. She was
appointed a Trustee of the Friends of Mount Auburn in
2006 and became a Trustee of Mount Auburn Cemetery in
2010. She also served as Co-Chair of the Cemetery’s 175th
Anniversary Committee. Two new projects also captured her
interest: a forthcoming book on Mount Auburn’s designed
landscape and a general interest book on the history and
people of the Cemetery.
Despite her decline in health in summer 2013, Caroline
faithfully continued to volunteer at the Cemetery until just
before her death. In the fall, friends and colleagues gathered
for a memorial service for Caroline at Mount Auburn where
her enduring contributions and heartfelt associations are
deeply felt and will be cherished forever.
Summer 2014 | 19