High Street Cemetery
Why it's listed
High Street Cemetery is a six-acre municipal burial ground on High Street in the center of Danvers, Massachusetts. It probably began as a private burial plot for the Porter family and later became known as the Plains Graveyard before the town bought it in 1870. About 127 grave markers survive, dated 1758 to 1875, roughly three-quarters marble and one-quarter slate. The slate stones carry willow, urn and winged-soul carvings. A low granite and fieldstone wall encloses the grounds, and an iron entrance gate bears the date 1843. The cemetery holds the graves of prominent early residents and of veterans of the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War and Spanish-American War. Some markers have been attributed to gravestone carvers Levi Maxcy Jr. and the Park brothers. A World War I field gun dedicated in 1938 serves as a Spanish-American War memorial and the focus of Memorial Day observances. The site was listed for its local historical associations and its illustration of New England burial traditions.
Significance in brief: The cemetery is judged locally significant for its strong associations with the early settlement and history of Danvers (Criterion A) and as a well-preserved New England burial ground showing changing funerary styles from the Colonial period to the early 20th century (Criterion C). It holds the graves of prominent early citizens and veterans of five wars, and includes work attributed to known gravestone carvers. It qualifies under the cemetery criteria consideration.
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 03000382, listed May 9, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 45 High St., Danvers |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | May 9, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000382 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1758-1953 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as inactive and generally well maintained, though some stones are leaning, broken, fallen or weathered. Veterans' graves carry bronze plaques and are decorated annually, and Memorial Day services are held there. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.56410, -70.93405 (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 03000382.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5757188
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.