Pine Grove Cemetery
Why it's listed
Pine Grove Cemetery is a three-acre burying ground in Leominster, Massachusetts, laid out in 1742 next to the town's first meetinghouse. It grew through two expansions and now holds roughly 800 gravestones, mostly 18th and 19th century slate and marble, along with four granite tombs built into a fieldstone wall, wrought-iron gates, eleven demarcated family plots and about 130 mature trees. The oldest stones cluster in the northeast corner and show Colonial-era layout, while later sections reflect 19th century garden-cemetery planting. Burials ended in 1937, and Works Progress Administration crews rebuilt the walls and mapped the grounds in the 1930s. The cemetery was listed because it is the oldest surviving link to Leominster's early history and because it embodies changing burial design over time. Buried here are first settler Gershom Houghton, comb-making pioneers tied to the city's plastics heritage, and Deacon David Wilder, a state legislator and local historian.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the oldest remaining link to Leominster's early history, with gravestones from the 18th and 19th centuries, stone walls, tombs and mature trees that evolved over about 260 years. It is listed under Criteria A and C and Criteria Consideration D (cemetery) at the local level. Notable burials include early settler Gershom Houghton, comb-making and plastics industry pioneers, and Deacon David Wilder.
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 14000364, listed June 27, 2014. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 145 Boston St., Lynn |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 27, 2014 |
| Reference number | 14000364 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1742-1958 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art, Landscape Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to burials in 1937; limited municipal funds for upkeep, but the cemetery retains a high degree of historical integrity. Gates are padlocked or blocked to public vehicle access. |
| Acreage | 152 |
| Coordinates | 42.47529, -70.96104 (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 14000364.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7195166
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.