6/5/2012 - Discover the Hidden Treasures of Evergreen Cemetery
Walking tours of historic cemetery available Sundays and Thursdays

What: Throughout the summer, the Friends of Evergreen will offer walking tours every Thursday at 5:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM. The hour-long tour will begin at the cemetery’s offices and will feature a discussion of the many well-known people buried in Evergreen who have made significant contributions to the culture of Maine through both their political and business pursuits. The History Docent Team will walk the public back in time where they will learn about seafaring Portlanders, the notable women of Evergreen, Civil War heroes and heroines and explore the art and symbolism in the cemetery. Attendees will learn surprising details and interesting stories about the much beloved open space. The cost for the tour is $7/$5 for members, children under 12 are free and are weather permitting.

At 239 acres, Evergreen Cemetery is the location of the city’s largest urban forest and is a sanctuary for various wildlife and migratory birds. The cemetery’s origins date back to 1851 when the city purchased fifty-five acres at Steven’s Plain to meet the needs of the community’s rapidly growing population and diminishing available space at the Eastern and Western Cemeteries. Designed by civil engineer Charles Howe, the Victorian garden cemetery was developed as both a sacred place for memorializing the dead and a green space that could be enjoyed by residents. Carriage roadways and walking paths lead to ponds, bridges and various family burial plots often featuring a central monument as focal point. Greeting visitors as they enter the cemetery, the Wilde Memorial Chapel was designed as a mortuary chapel by Mary Ellen Lunt Wilde in honor of her husband Samuel Wilde in 1902. Today the chapel is the location for funerals, weddings, lectures and other community events.

Maps of various points of interest and walking trails are available at the Evergreen Cemetery’s main office and online friendsofevergreen.org.

When: Thursday at 5:00 PM
Sunday at 2:00 PM
Where: Information/Visitor’s Center
Evergreen Cemetery, Portland


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