Oak Grove Cemetery
Why it's listed
Oak Grove Cemetery, at 765 Prospect Street in Fall River, was established in 1855 as a rural garden cemetery modeled on Mt. Auburn in Cambridge. The city bought the original 47 acres from Dr. Nathan Durfee, and the grounds now exceed 99 acres. Local architect Josiah Brown laid out meandering roads that follow the natural hills and valleys, with avenues named for trees and paths for shrubs. A Gothic Revival granite entrance gate of 1873 and a Greek Revival receiving tomb of 1857 mark the site. Its late 19th-century monuments reflect the wealth of the mill owners and civic leaders buried there, including the Borden family, whose memorials include a 25-foot statue of Hope and a tall obelisk. Other notable markers include a miniature mill for textile manufacturer Foster H. Stafford, an Egyptian Revival Slade monument, and Classical-style mausoleums. About 46,500 burials have taken place, and plots are still sold.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is Fall River's most significant cemetery because of the prominence of those buried there, the scenic 19th-century landscape, and the quality of its Victorian funerary monuments. It follows the picturesque rural cemetery model first developed at Mt. Auburn in Cambridge. Its monuments reflect the wealth and pride of the city's mill owners and elite.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83000698, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 765 Prospect St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000698 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1855-present |
| Architect / builder | Josiah Brown (designer and layout); architect of the 1873 gateway unknown |
| Architectural style | Rural garden cemetery; Gothic Revival entrance gate, Greek Revival receiving tomb, Victorian funerary monuments |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use; about 46,500 burials have taken place and plots are still being sold. |
| Acreage | 99.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.70561, -71.13533 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83000698.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7073499
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.