Sweet Auburn: The Magazine of the Friends of Mount Auburn Mount Auburn: Pathways of Connections

A publication of the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery 580 Mount Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-7105 www.mountauburn.org Editorial Committee Bree D. Harvey, Editor Vice President of External Affairs Lauren Marsh, Managing Editor Communications, Grants & Events Coordinator Jennifer J. Johnston, Photo Editor Media & Imaging Coordinator David P. Barnett, Contributing Editor President & CEO, Mount Auburn Cemetery William G. Barry, Jr. Vice President of Preservation & Facilities Jane M. Carroll Vice President of Development Dennis Collins Horticultural Curator Candace Currie Director of Planning & Sustainability Thomas Johnson Family Services Coordinator Sean J. O’Regan Vice President of Cemetery Services Brian A. Sullivan Archivist Meg L. Winslow Curator of Historical Collections Designer Elizabeth Bonadies Printer P+R Publications Cover Photo: Monarch butterfly on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata); by George McLean Trustees of the Friends of Mount Auburn Widgie Aldrich, Secretary, Cambridge, MA David P. Barnett, Boxborough, MA Clemmie L. Cash, Chair, Wellesley, MA Thomas C. Cooper, Watertown, MA Caroline Loughlin, Treasurer, Weston, MA Sean McDonnell, Cambridge Caroline Mortimer, Vice-Chair, Cambridge Ann M. Roosevelt, Cambridge President’s Corner Mount Auburn is truly a special place. As we approach the 180th anniversary of our founding this September, we can reflect on our status as a National Historic Landmark with so many wonderful stories connecting us to our past. Our place in history, as the nation’s first large-scale designed landscape open to the public and the catalyst for the rural cemetery movement and the public parks movement, is secured. At the same time, we remain an active cemetery by still creating new Dave Barnett interment space and serving families at a time of need. We are also a vibrant community resource providing visitor services; educational programs; and a spectacular landscape of beauty, tranquility, and inspiration – just as our founders envisioned. President’s Corner Sweet Auburn The “pathways of connections” theme of this issue of Sweet Auburn has given us an opportunity to explore the many facets of Mount Auburn and how they are all intercon- nected to each other and to the external world around us. I hope you enjoy the feature article –a team effort by our staff– that begins on the next page. Immediately following that article is the premiere of “Eternally Green: Sustaining Mount Auburn & the World around Us,” a new, recurring column based on the internal newsletter that is written and produced by our Green Team (see page 16 for more information on the Green Team). The debut article by Greenhouse Technician Kelley A. Sullivan explores the transition of our greenhouses and cut-flower gardens from conventional techniques to more organic methods. We look forward to using this forum to share more about the many ways we are using environmentally sensitive and sustainable practices to maintain both the natural and built landscape of Mount Auburn. We continue to expand our educational programs, offering topics of interest to our Friends members and the broader community. We are particularly pleased to be working with David Russo, along with the the Historical Society of Watertown and the Watertown Historical Commission, to host a series of lectures and tours this spring and summer celebrating the rich history of Watertown and its connections to Mount Auburn. And as we prepare with other local institutions to celebrate Charles Sumner’s bicentennial, Vice President of External Affairs Bree D. Harvey delves into the many sides of Charles Sumner (Lot 2447, Arethusa Path), exploring his varied connections throughout the Boston area that relate to both his passion for civil rights and his passion for the arts (page 14). Finally, our revamped “Inter- ments of Note” section on page 18 connects us back to the remarkable legacies of those interred here who are now forever part of the history and the landscape that indelibly link Cambridge and Watertown, and the eternal community that is Mount Auburn Cemetery. Now that spring is finally here, I hope you will visit Mount Auburn frequently to observe the migrating birds, enjoy the colorful blooms, learn about our history, or visit your loved ones. Our dedicated staff and volunteers stand ready to greet and serve you. We love to stay “connected.” 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) non-profit charitable trust, the Friends seeks financial support from its members, other individuals, foundations, corporations, and public agencies. It receives gifts for educational and inter- pretive 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 1,300 active members. David P. Barnett, President pg. 1 2 | Sweet Auburn pg. 8 pg. 10 As a correction of the Trustee announcement on page 15 in the Fall 2010 issue of Sweet Auburn, Caroline Loughlin was chair of the entire 175th Anniversary Celebration, which included the gala, lecture series, and several other activities, while Caroline Mortimer co-chaired the gala with Widgie Aldrich.

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