Greenlawn Cemetery
Also known as: Old Burying Ground; Orne Street Burying Ground,; North Salem/Field Cemetery; Orne Street Cemetery
Why it's listed
Greenlawn Cemetery occupies a southern slope on the Nahant peninsula, overlooking Lynn Bay. Founded in 1856 on a two-acre parcel, it grew four times between 1859 and 1928 to reach about 5.6 acres. Its focal point is Ellingwood Chapel, a Norman-style granite building of local stone, designed by Cram & Ferguson in 1919-20 as a gift from Mary M. Johnson in memory of her husband's parents. The firm also designed the matching stone walls, gates and tool house, giving the grounds a unified look, and the chapel windows are by Charles J. Connick. The older southern half holds varied nineteenth-century markers, a receiving tomb from 1856, a Civil War soldiers' monument from 1866 and a World War I memorial. The newer northern half is an open lawn with flush markers. Together, these features record Nahant's burial customs, civic memorials and architectural ambitions between 1856 and 1950.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery is significant for architecture because Ellingwood Chapel and its matching walls and gates (1919-20) were designed by the Boston firm Cram & Ferguson, with windows by Charles J. Connick. It is also significant for community planning and development, as its layout and markers show phases of growth from 1856 to 1950.
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 15000467, listed July 27, 2015. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Address restricted by the NPS (common for archaeological sites and some private homes) |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | July 27, 2015 |
| Reference number | 15000467 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1856-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Cram & Ferguson (Boston); stained glass by Charles J. Connick |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Burials continue within the 1919-20 design, and efforts to preserve and maintain Ellingwood Chapel have been made in recent years. |
| Acreage | 55.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.53278, -70.90417 (Wikidata) |
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 15000467.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22073815
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.