Services

• Genealogy–Offered throughout the year as time permits, staff can look up a single lot location or research a family name.  All requests must be made in writing.
• Photo requests–For those living outside of the area of the cemetery who would like a photo of a headstone/marker, cemetery staff are be happy to provide this.  Please send all requests to JOxton@lowellma.gov.  Please provide as much information as possible to help staff locate the grave.
• Veteran marker applications–Available in the office, staff can help you fill out and submit the application to the appropriate government agency and install the marker at no cost to the family.
• Cremation burial–It is possible to bury cremated remains without the assistance of a funeral home.  You will need to have the cremation certificate and lot location (unless you are purchasing a new lot) information available.
• Deed transfer/grave reservation requests–There are different rules/laws relating to these requests.  Grave reservation requests must be made in writing by the lot owner and must be notarized.  Please call the office for more information.
• Work orders–Perpetual care work includes filling holes, loaming and seeding.  Other work may be done for a fee.  Please have lot numbers or owner information ready so that staff can access information.  Please note that monuments and flat markers are not covered under perpetual care.
• General–Directions to lots, change of address, individual burial information, etc.

Cemetery Histories

Edson Cemetery

• This 46 acre cemetery is located at 1375 Gorham Street and is the largest of Lowell’s cemeteries with over 10,000 lot owners.
• The first 30 acres were purchased in 1846 from William and Hannah Spence.  Additional cemetery land was acquired in 1877 and Edson Point was purchased in 1924. It was officially designated as Cemetery No. 3 at the time of its purchase.
• Jack Kerouac, the poet for whom Kerouac Park is named, is buried here.  His gravesite is located at Lincoln and Seventh Avenue and attracts year round visitors from all over the world.

Westlawn I

• Located at 155 Boston Road, this cemetery encompasses approximately 65 acres with over 3,500 lot owners.
• The first 19 acres were purchased in 1899 from Charles W. and Sarah Swan and Sever Ohlson.  In 1923, another 17.21 acres were purchased.  In September of 1925, 15.07 acres were added and in October of 1925 14.16 acres were purchased from the Erastus Bartlett Estate bringing the total to 65 acres.  This cemetery was originally known as Cemetery No. 3 Annex.

Westlawn II

• Located at 275 Boston Road it was developed in the fall of 1993 and is the first municipal cemetery built in the City of Lowell in over fifty years.  Presently there are more than 700 lot owners.  It is approximately 6.3 acres with 25 years of expansion capacity.

Mammoth Road Cemetery

• In use from 1796 to 1899 and located at 60 Mammoth Road, this cemetery is approximately 9,690 square feet.  It is also known as the Pawtucket Cemetery.
• The oldest gravestone at the Pawtucket Cemetery is for Eleanor Varnum (1794-1796) who was the young daughter of Col. James Varnum (1747-17??) and his second wife Eleanor Bridges Varnum (1758-1801).  James was the son of John Parker Varnum (1705-1785) who lived at 495 Varnum Ave and grandson of John Varnum (1669-1715), reportedly the first white child born in the Merrimack River Valley. James was a Captain in the Revolutionary War and was then promoted to Colonel of the 3rd Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the Mass State Militia. He is buried in the Pawtucket Cemetery in the tomb of Capt. Phineas Whiting.
• The earliest Coburn family member buried here was Asa Colburn in 1800, who was the great-great-grandson of Ezra Coburn (1658-1739), son of Edward Coburn and Hannah Varnum (1661-?) who was the daughter of Samuel Varnum.
• The Pawtucket Cemetery is the final burial place for many decorated military officers of Dracut, including Capt. Coburn Blood, Jr., Capt. Elisha Ford, Capt. John Ford, Capt. Phineas Whiting, and Col. James Varnum.

School Street Cemetery

• Located at 460 School Street it is approximately 49,415 square feet.
• This cemetery was purchased from Joel Spaulding on November 5, 1810 for $23 by the inhabitants of Chelmsford as that section of Lowell was within the boundaries of Chelmsford at the time of purchase.  It was officially designated as Cemetery No. 1 at the time.  It is located between Branch and Middlesex Streets.

Old English Cemetery

• This cemetery is located at 1099 Gorham Street and is approximately 196,385 square feet.
• The Old English Cemetery was purchased by the town of Chelmsford from Simon and Susanna Parker on March 31, 1832 for $428.  It was officially designated as Cemetery No. 2 at the time.

Directions

To Edson Cemetery Office at 1375 Gorham Street
Off of 495 or Route 3 take the Lowell Connector exit
Off of the Connector take exit 5A, South Lowell
Follow the ramp onto Gorham Street
Follow road, once you go under the black “Prince Spaghettiville” bridge you will start to see Cemeteries on your right hand side.
We are the last one on the right.  You will see a fork in the road with a Citgo gas station; we are on the right BEFORE the fork in the road.  The office is a small white cottage right at the main entrance to Edson Cemetery.

To Jack Kerouac’s grave
Enter the cemetery through the main gate off of Gorham Street.  You will be on 3rd Avenue.  Continue down 3rd Avenue and take a left onto Lincoln Avenue.  After you pass 7th Avenue pull over to the right side of the road.  Jack’s grave will be on the passenger’s side of the car.  He only has a flat marker.  He is buried in the Eisentraut family lot.  Look for that monument and walk towards it.  Jack’s marker is about 10 feet before the marker.

Additional Information

There are 3 other cemeteries in Lowell that are not maintained by the City.  They are:
St. Patrick Cemetery - 978-458-8464 (www.stpatrickcemetery.com)
Lowell Cemetery – 978-454-5191 (www.lowellcemetery.com)
Holy Trinity – 978-452-2564

Contact information

The Cemetery Division office is located at 1375 Gorham Street, Lowell, MA 01852
Phone number is 978-970-3323