Ashland's Village Burial Ground

07/31/2026

It’s great to see our neighboring communities recognizing the cultural significance of their historic cemeteries, and investing in preservation! While Ashland's Village Burial Ground does not have the same structures as the Edgell Grove Cemetery, we do have a crypt and stone wall deserving of attention.

Edgell Grove Cemetery Receives Statewide Preservation Award for Historic Tomb House Restoration

FRAMINGHAM - The Edgell Grove Cemetery Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Edgell Grove Cemetery was honored with a 2026 Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award from Preservation Massachusetts in recognition of the successful restoration of the historic Edgell Grove Tomb House.

The award was presented during a ceremony at Fenway Park on June 11, 2026. Cemetery Board of Trustees member Julie Ferrari accepted the award on behalf of the Board.

Preservation Massachusetts is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the Commonwealth's historic and cultural resources through education, advocacy, and recognition of outstanding preservation projects.

The Mayor Thomas M. Menino Legacy Award recognizes transformative preservation projects that strengthen communities, foster partnerships, and revitalize historic places for future generations.

The restoration of the Edgell Grove Tomb House was made possible through funding from the City of Framingham's Community Preservation Act (CPA) and a generous grant from MutualOne Bank. The Cemetery Board of Trustees extends its sincere appreciation to the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for its support of this significant project.

Constructed in 1885 with funds bequeathed by Moses Edgell, the Tomb House is a distinguished example of High Victorian Gothic architecture and is located within the Framingham Centre Common Historic District. The restoration preserves this important landmark while enhancing its role within the peaceful setting of Edgell Grove Cemetery, a historic rural garden cemetery.

This statewide recognition celebrates the community's commitment to preserving Framingham's architectural and cultural heritage and ensures that the Edgell Grove Tomb House will remain an enduring historic resource for generations to come.

Stay Informed

Residents are encouraged to follow official City communication channels for updates:

City website: www.framinghamma.gov
City social media channels, including Facebook, X, and Instagram
The City's Sunday newsletter: Sign up here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/bFVxFV3
NotifyMe alert system for text and/or email alerts: Sign up here: https://framinghamma.gov/list.aspx
# # #

07/30/2026

The rain has saturated the ground enough to cancel tomorrow’s GPR session. Work continues Wednesday, for anyone who cares to observe and learn more about the ground penetrating radar process from our team of professor and student volunteers from Bridgewater State University!

07/27/2026

GPR (ground penetrating radar) continues this week, at least for today and tomorrow. Come on down to observe the effort and general progress at the cemetery! Here’s just one example - Harriet Snow’s gravestone restoration…

Photo collage courtesy of Michelle Gattozzi McGee

07/24/2026

Looks good in photos, but even more beautiful in person! Take a walk around Ashland's Village Burial Ground this weekend to see how the back section looks while cleared for GPR services! CPC funding was used to hire Birchwood Landscape & Tree to remove decades worth of debris and overgrowth. We suspect that there are numerous gravestones in this section, hidden below the ground. GPR will confirm!

07/23/2026

Come check out the GPR process at Ashland's Village Burial Ground! The crew will be back at it tomorrow, as well as some days next week (we’ll post when confirmed)
Photos provided by Peter Wilner, Ashland Historical Commission.

07/23/2026

Thanks in part to a gift card donation from Market Basket, we’ll be keeping our Bridgewater State University volunteers hydrated and supply-stocked as the Ground Penetrating Radar project extends into next week…

07/21/2026

A few scenes from today’s GPR crew at work!

07/19/2026

This week! Monday - Friday, 9ish-4ish, weather permitting, a team of professors and student volunteers from Bridgewater State University will be completing an important GPR survey of the cemetery!

Critical ground prep was made possible with CPC funding.

Please drop in to learn more about the project, and see the incredible transformation in process at Ashland's Village Burial Ground. We promise you’ll feel inspired 🙂

07/14/2026

More from Michelle Gattozzi McGee and Warren Merton - trained volunteers making incredible contributions at Ashland's Village Burial Ground!

This is the Jones Family plot, in progress.

From Michelle - “6 hrs at the burial ground today and we got a lot accomplished. The Jones family plot is nearly complete after uprighting Roxey's 200+ pound stone, straightening and levelling Hameleton's, and setting the base and bottom half of one other infant son's (whose name escapes me). The infant's stone is badly damaged and was underground for many years. Once the mortar cures we'll mount the top half. Fingers crossed it takes to the repair and remains upright. Willie D got a new base and Hannah G was reset earlier, and all of the stones have been cleaned.”

07/11/2026

Another amazing transformation by our trained volunteers, Michelle Gattozzi McGee and Warren Merton!

Sally Hyde has been reunited with her husband …