Newton Cemetery

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Contact

Mary Ann Buras, President
Newton Cemetery Corporation
791 Walnut Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459
mab@newcemcorp.org
617-332-0047

Projects

Whipple-Beal Cast Iron Fence (privately owned)
Newton Civil War Monument (City-owned)

Whipple-Beal Cast Iron Fence

Newton Cemetery Whipple-Beal Cast Iron Fence Newton Cemetery Section K, Lot 154, Main Avenue

Goals

Restore and as necessary reconstruct the decorative cast iron fence around the Whipple-Beal family lot in the private Newton Cemetery, which was established in 1855. This lot includes the cemetery's first burial, Jessie Annie Whipple, who died at the age of 3 months and was buried in October 1856, as well as the burials of her brothers Orrin (died at 2 months, 1857) and Willie (died at 12 hours, 1861). Similar fences were very popular during the Victorian era, but this is the last remaining decorative fence of any kind in Newton Cemetery.

For additional information, see Newton Cemetery's webpage for this project.

Funding

$58,200	CPA (historic resources)
$9,500	Value of staff time and materials to be contributed by Newton Cemetery, plus other donated services (3-D laser scan)
$5,000	Fundraising by Friends of Newton Cemetery, for interpretive signage Note: A Beal descendent has committed to donating 10% of total project costs. The Friends will commit the difference between this donation and the amount at left toward future maintenance of the fence.
$72,700	Total Project Cost

Funding Process

2017

2 May 2017 - Pre-proposal, including maps, photos and analysis of historic significance
29 September-15 November 2017 - Full proposal, posted as two files:
- Proposal with budgets & letters of support (including project summary/proposal form, project budgets & funding sources, sponsor finances & qualifications; letters updated 15 November 2017)
- Site & history (including photos, maps, historic significance, site ownership, backup for project scope & costs, plan for historic preservation restriction); minor updates 25 October 2017
15 November 2017 - Community letters received about this proposal to date
16 November 2017 - Presentation to the CPC (includes photos)
4 December 2017 - CPC funding recommendation
5 February 2018 - City Council order (appropriation), account number corrected after vote

Project News

28 March 2018 - CPA grant agreement
14 April 2020 - Final Report and Presentation to the CPC
April 2023 - Preservation Restriction finalized and recorded for Whipple Beal Fence

Civil War Soldiers' Monument

Newton Cemetery Civil War Monument Newton Cemetery
791 Walnut Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459-1719

Note: This monument and its lot are owned by the City of Newton. The grounds around the monument are maintained by the private Newton Cemetery. Funds for the monument's restoration were appropriated to the control of the Newton Planning & Development Department.

Goals

Restore the stonework and masonry, including appropriate mortar, of the City-owned Civil War Monument, sited in Newton Cemetery (private). This memorial, constructed in 1864 with funds donated by the citizens of Newton, was the second in Massachusetts and one of the first in the country to honor soldiers who had lost their lives during the Civil War.

Funding

$15,000	CP funds appropriated for assessment & recommendations (historic resources)
$13,161	CP funds spent for assessment & recommendations (unspent balance returned to CP Fund)
Note:	The appropriation for this assessment also included other funds to assess the exterior stairs to the War Memorial Auditorium at City Hall.
$134,000	CP funds appropriated for final specifications & restoration
$99,895	CP funds spent for final specifications & restoration ($34,105 returned unspent to CP Fund)

Contact

Katy Hax Holmes, Senior Preservation Planner
Dept. of Planning & Development
Newton City Hall
1000 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton Centre, MA 02459
kholmes@newtonma.gov
617-796-1143

Funding Process

2004-05 Assessment

October 2004 - Proposal
30 March 2005 - CPC funding recommendation
16 May 2005 - Board order (appropriation)

2012 Specifications & Restoration

February-March 2012 - Pre-proposal and letters of support
4 April 2012 - Full proposal (large file, may load slowly),
9 April 2012 - City of Newton Law Dept. memo (confirming City responsibility for maintenance & repair)
24 April 2012 - Presentation to the CPC (includes photos & historical information)
30 April 2012 - CPC recommendation
18 June 2012 - Board order (appropriation)