People and Happenings
The objectives of the Historical Collections Department are to :
People and Happenings
Above : Gathering at Bigelow Chapel , stereoview , circa 1860s . Far right : Portrait of Alexander Wadsworth . Oil painting , 1889 .
Records of Enduring Value
Mount Auburn Cemetery ’ s Historical Collections consist of over 2,000 linear feet of records and include the business records and correspondence of the Cemetery ; maps and plans ; horticultural records ; photographs ; books and guidebooks ; fine and decorative arts including painting , sculpture , artistic monuments , and stained glass owned by the Cemetery . The Historical Collections program was established in 1993 in order to collect , organize , preserve , and make accessible documentation about the Cemetery to foster scholarship and understanding of Mount Auburn and its role in the 19th century to the present .
These Collections represent a unique reference source for the study of landscape architecture , decorative arts , burial customs , horticulture , natural science , and local history . They also provide valuable material for genealogical research . Subject strengths include the rural cemetery movement , cremation , and the history of Mount Auburn since its founding in 1831 .
Access to the Historical Collections is by appointment only . For further information please contact Curator of Historical Collections Meg L . Winslow at mwinslow @ mountauburn . org or by phone at 617-607-1942 .
The objectives of the Historical Collections Department are to :
• protect and preserve the Historical Collections by maintaining optimal environmental conditions for storage and exhibition , including ensuring proper handling , overseeing preservation treatments , planning for long-term care , and providing high quality collections maintenance and disaster preparedness , all at the highest level of professional standards for collections care ;
• provide appropriate access to the Historical Collections for the staff and general public through standardized professional procedures and guidelines ;
• collect items relating to the Cemetery in accordance with the Collecting Policy ; and
• increase the staff and general public ’ s knowledge of the Historical Collections by cataloguing , providing finding aids , and by encouraging research by staff and outside professionals .
Left : Gate-keeper ’ s Helmet . Below : Watercolor drawing of Story Chapel and Administration Building , Willard T . Sears , 1896 .
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