Westlawn Cemetery
Also known as: West Burying Ground
Why it's listed
Westlawn Cemetery occupies a triangular 1.7-acre lot where Concord and Country Roads meet in Westford. The town acquired the land from local farmers in 1761 as the West Burying Ground, and the earliest marked burial dates to 1760. Roughly 400 people are interred here, among them mill owners, farmers, veterans and members of the Robinson, Prescott, Day and Fletcher families. Col. John Robinson, who led Westford's minutemen at the Battle of Concord, is buried here. The grounds contain slate, sandstone, granite and marble markers that trace the move from Puritan death's heads to urn and willow designs and later Gothic and Victorian forms. Three earthen or brick-walled family tombs line the southern edge, and an unusual stepping-stone marker stands near the west. Commemorative crosses and a 1968 plaque honor military service. The cemetery was renamed Westlawn in 1895 and has changed little since its Colonial beginnings, apart from routine repairs.
Significance in brief: The cemetery holds about 400 burials, including many people important to Westford's history, such as Col. John Robinson, leader of the town's minutemen at Concord. Its slate, marble and granite markers show changes in gravestone carving and attitudes toward death from the Colonial period through the Victorian era. It also reflects how the town maintained its burial grounds over time.
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 04001433, listed January 5, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Concord Rd., Westford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 5, 2005 |
| Reference number | 04001433 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1760-1954 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a cemetery. Most stones are in good to excellent condition, with some erosion, breakage and mower damage, and repairs made regularly since the 19th century. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.57093, -71.46643 (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 04001433.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7989037
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.