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Spring fence finials frame the Dead House and Section A, Eastern Cemetery, April 2021 |
First Workday of the Season |
Saturday, May 6
9am to 12pm Help us spruce up the grounds to start showing it off to visitors once again! We are proud, in partnership with the city who mows and removes the trash we gather, to keep this historic outdoor museum safe and clean for visitors. Wear your gardening togs, and we’ll supply tools and trash bags. |
Meet us at the Dead House inside the gates on Congress Street. Come and go as you please. If you’re an experienced gardener, we may have special tasks for you, but you don’t need to be. We welcome anyone and everyone! It is a great way for kids to get involved, too. |
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Walk Funeral Lane with Us |
Morning Walks 10am (check our Tours page for dates) Tours in Eastern Cemetery have begun. We are offering a few morning tours to start the season, but we also have our regularly-scheduled afternoon walks until October. |
Afternoon Walks
Daily at 4pm It’s best if you buy tickets through our Eventbrite site ahead of time as we prefer our guides don’t have to handle cash. Not that we won’t take your cash—but we likely cannot make change. We are excited to escort you around this garden of art and history. |
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Become a Stoner (of Conservation) |
Saturdays, May 13 through October
8:30am to 12pm Each year, we head out into the historic landscape and look for the stones that need our help. Whether it’s cleaning or resetting, our volunteer crew spends their free time out in the Maine sun all season long—digging, cleaning, and caring for this important and sacred landscape. Would you like to join us? |
Even if you have never done this type of work, our award-winning team is happy to help you learn how to do it. We always have a good time, and it’s sometimes like an archaeological dig. You never know what we’ll find (okay, we never find some things… if you know what we mean). |
Let us know if you’re interested in helping out, or just show up. You can find us by looking for our wheel barrows and wagons, and we’ll be so happy to see you. Be prepared to become hooked on learning this super-interesting skill (it provides a fine conversation starter at parties, too). |
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Memorial Day Flag Prep & Tours |
Wednesday, May 24
11am to 12pm Spend some time before your lunch hour flagging our over 200 veteran stones and plots. We provide the flags, the maps, and guidance to help you navigate the site. Children welcome, too! |
Monday, May 29
10am to 2pm (tours on the 1/2 hour) Visit us as we honor those who served from the 1600s through the Civil War. Join a guided tour to hear the compelling stories of some of our notable soldiers and sailors. Free to active duty military, veterans, and their families. Donations suggested for others. |
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The Dr. Stephen Harding grave stone, a cenotaph for his sons |
Subterranean Celebrity: The Hardings |
Death years: 1806, 1810, 1819, 1811, 1823 The inscription on this eroded marble marker (Section E, plot 53) has been lost forever, but the stone once held the tragic history of the Dr. Stephen Harding family. Stephen died in 1823 at age 62, and what little lettering we can find at the sod line tells us that his stone was carved by Bartlett Adams. |
Burial records further confirm that four of the Harding sons were all lost while abroad. Ariston died in 1806 in Brazil at age 25, Job died in 1810 at age 27, Daniel died in the West Indies in 1811 at age 21, and Steven Jr.’s death came at age 31 in Baltimore, in 1819. This stone serves as a cenotaph (a marker that is a memorial for someone who is not buried below) for the four young men, but a true grave-marker for their father. |
Dr. Stephen Harding
born March 21, 1761, died August 28, 1823 Ariston born March 26, 1781, died December 22, 1806 Job born August 7, 1785, died October 31, 1810 Stephen Jr. born June 13, 1788, died August 28, 1819 Daniel Wheaton born January 3, 1790, died July 11, 1811 |
Big thanks to Ron Romano for writing up this mini-bio for the Hardings. You can suggest a subterranean celebrity! Just send an email—it doesn't take much to make a nice little story. If they’re buried in Eastern Cemetery, we can make it happen. An index of all of our Subterranean Celebrities is available. |
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Guess what cemetery fan group has its own shirts, caps, playing cards, and tote bags? Spirits Alive does, that’s who! Visit us on Zazzle to view all of our products. Please know that proceeds go directly back to Spirits Alive to help us fund our work to keep the Eastern Cemetery cared for and to teach others about its wonders. |
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You can help Spirits Alive keep the Eastern Cemetery alive for generations to come. Through your support, you can help us, an ALL-VOLUNTEER organization, to continue to: Keep the gates open – encouraging the community to explore its open and safe green space Offer education about the cemetery and its residents to the public – through tours, lectures, and events Encourage and support the city in keeping the site clean and safe for visitors of all ages Preserve this incredible outdoor museum and sacred historic landscape
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Spirits Alive is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Portland, Maine’s historic Eastern Cemetery through a range of activities including promotion and education. |
