File:Historical sketch and matters appertaining to the Copp's Hill Burial-Ground (1901) (14758730726).jpg

Identifier: historicalsketch1901bost2 (find matches)
Title: Historical sketch and matters appertaining to the Copp's Hill Burial-Ground
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Boston (Mass.). Cemetery Dept
Subjects: Cemeteries
Publisher: Boston : Municipal Print. Office
Contributing Library: Boston College Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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nt, and there was no further need of expansion. Besidethe changes during 180 years, there were minor alterations inthe appearance of the cemetery. When Snowhill street was cut through the edge of the oldbluff and extended northerly to Charter street it encountered arow of old tombs, having a walk leading from end to end, withsteps at each extremity. The entrances to these tombs and thetablets thereon were transferred within the fence. About 1837the whole western slope beyond Snowhill street was dug awayand the existing heavy granite wall erected to protect thecemetery. During the period from the Revolution to 1830 the cemeterybegan to be neglected, until on May 27, 1833, the City appro-priated $50 for the purchase of ti-ees to ornament the grounds.To-day there are almost 200 trees in the cemetery. New walkswere laid out in 1838, and many stones were then or sinceremoved or altered in position with the same mistaken effortsat symmetry that have been remarked in the case of KingsChapel.
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9 By 1878 the hill had again fallen into decay, and become sub-ject to all kinds of depredations. In that year the Board ofHealth appointed the present superintendent, Mr. E. MacDonald,by whose care the neglected tombs and paths have been re-stored to orderliness and many lost tombstones recovered. Two hundred and twenty-seven tombs are contained withinthe cemetery. Two of the number belong to the City, one foradults near Charter street, and one for children near Hull street,built in June, 1833. Nearby is a large tomb, set aside about1840 for mariners. The oldest tombs were built in 1717,shortly after the Sewall purchase, and front on Hull street.In 1722 a new range of tombs, running north, was started at thesouth-east corner on Hull street. The selectmens records downto 1806 contain numerous grants of permission to erect tombs,almost invariably with the provision that the brick wall thereofbe carried up so as to be a sufficient fence. In 1805 were con-structed the tombs on Snowhill s

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