Weeks Cemetery
Why it's listed
Weeks Cemetery is a compact, 0.72-acre burial ground in the northeast corner of Marlborough, Massachusetts, enclosed by a fieldstone wall and surrounded by suburban homes. It holds about 114 headstones and four family monuments, recording burials from 1837 into 2000, most from the 19th century. The graves are arranged in 34 family lots in rows parallel to Sudbury Street. Markers include slate stones with willow and urn designs, marble stones with Gothic and pointing-hand motifs, and later low granite and bronze markers. Two Civil War veterans and veterans of both world wars are buried here. The cemetery was named for the nearby Weeks family and became one of Marlborough's municipal burial grounds after 1855. It is the smallest of the city's municipal cemeteries and keeps a vernacular 19th century character. Its family lots, changing monument styles and epitaphs show how New England burial practice evolved, and its graves record the community's farming neighborhood, including high infant mortality.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is tied to Marlborough's 19th century farming neighborhood and was one of several neighborhood burial grounds that came under municipal control after 1855. It also reflects the move from plain burial grounds to cemeteries organized by family lots, and shows the shift from slate to marble to granite markers. It qualifies as a cemetery because it has served as a neighborhood burying ground continuously since 1837.
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 04000934, listed September 10, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Corner of Sudbury St. and Concord Rd., Marlborough |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | September 10, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000934 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1837 - 1954 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Generally well maintained but with deteriorated gravestones, especially marble, and several toppled headstones preserved in place. Few burials since 1950, and it is not generally considered an active cemetery. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.37327, -71.49754 (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 04000934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7979530
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.