Ohabei Shalom Cemetery
Why it's listed
Ohabei Shalom Cemetery in East Boston was founded in 1844 and is the first legally established Jewish cemetery in Massachusetts. Laid out on a hillside of about 2.36 acres, it has seven burial sections, roughly 2,000 graves, a granite Victorian Gothic chapel from 1903 and five mausoleums along its southern edge. The oldest markers, mostly weathered marble with Hebrew inscriptions and traditional symbols such as hands of blessing and ewers, sit on the high western side. Later family monuments in polished granite use classical forms, and their English inscriptions reflect the community's growing assimilation and prosperity. Several linked headstones joined by a shallow arch are a rare type in Massachusetts. The cemetery was listed for its role in the history of Boston's Jewish immigrants, who once formed the largest Jewish population in New England in this part of the city, and for its funerary art. The chapel was damaged in 2003, and the eroding older stones, which hold genealogical information, remain a concern.
Significance in brief: It was the first legally established Jewish cemetery in Massachusetts and shows how Boston's Jewish immigrant community developed socially and culturally. It is one of the last traces of East Boston's regional Jewish community. Its markers show a shift from Eastern European traditions to Victorian and 20th-century American memorial styles.
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 08000795, listed August 19, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 147 Wordsworth St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 19, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000795 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1844-1958 |
| Architect / builder | John A. Hasty (signed building permit for chapel, 1903) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, European, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still active on a limited basis. The chapel was damaged by fire and vandalism in 2003 and is deteriorated and no longer usable. Day-to-day maintenance is good, but there is a large backlog of deferred maintenance. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.38305, -71.01482 (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 08000795.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7698624
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.