Pine Grove Cemetery
Also known as: First Meetinghouse Burying Ground
Why it's listed
Pine Grove Cemetery occupies about three acres at Tremaine and Main Streets in Leominster, Massachusetts. Founded in 1742 as a burying yard at the east end of the town's first meetinghouse, it grew through two expansions to its present size. Roughly 800 gravestones remain, mostly 18th and 19th century slate and marble, along with four granite tombs built into the western wall, wrought-iron gates, family plots and about 130 mature trees. The oldest stones, including that of first settler Gershom Houghton, lie in the northeast corner and show Colonial layout, while later sections reflect 19th-century garden cemetery ideas. Burials declined after Evergreen Cemetery opened in 1840, and the ground closed in 1937. Works Progress Administration crews rebuilt the walls and reset stones in the 1930s. Comb-making pioneers and Deacon David Wilder are buried here. The cemetery was listed for its role in community development and social history, and for its landscape and artistic qualities.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest remaining link to Leominster's early history, with gravestones, walls and a circulation system largely intact from the 18th and 19th centuries. It qualifies under Criteria A and C as a cemetery that evolved from a Colonial burying yard into a 19th-century landscape. Notable burials include the town's first settler and pioneers of the local comb-making and early plastics industry.
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 08000168, listed March 12, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Tremaine & Main Sts., Leominster |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | March 12, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000168 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1742-1958 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed to burials in 1937; the city has had little money for upkeep, though it retains a high degree of historical integrity. The northern and southern vehicle gates are not accessible to the public. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 42.53145, -71.75502 (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 08000168.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7195163
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.