Phipps Street Burying Ground
Why it's listed
Phipps Street Burying Ground in Charlestown, Boston, occupies a small mound of about 1.76 acres and dates to the town's founding in 1630. It once overlooked an estuary of the Charles River, but the surrounding land has since been filled and its uses changed. Graves are grouped in small rectangular family plots rather than in rows, a layout unlike other 17th century burying grounds in Boston. Paths are named for Charlestown families such as Frothingham, Hurd, Harvard, Phipps and Russell. A granite obelisk erected in 1828 by Harvard College graduates marks the burial place of John Harvard. The earliest marker dates from 1642, and most stones are from the later 18th century. Because British forces destroyed the town's buildings after the Battle of Bunker Hill, the markers made before April 1775 are the only pre-Revolutionary artifacts left in Charlestown. The carved designs show a shift from winged death's heads to neoclassical urns and willows.
Significance in brief: The form cites its early establishment in 1630, its association with John Harvard, and its many 17th to early 19th century gravestones and tombs as examples of funerary sculpture. Its grave markers dated before April 1775 are the only pre-Revolutionary artifacts remaining in Charlestown. Its family-plot layout is unusual among Boston's 17th century burying grounds.
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 74000907, listed May 14, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Phipps St., Boston |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | May 14, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000907 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 17th Century (specific date 1630) |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Art, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair; altered; original site; pathways overgrown or covered by silt; in use as a cemetery. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.37622, -71.06965 (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 74000907.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7186417
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.