Boston By Foot Launches Free North Burying Ground Tours

The organization partnered with city officials to open the historic 1630s site for educational public walking tours.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Boston By Foot Launches Free North Burying Ground Tours

Live Poll

Would you make an effort to visit a historical site located in your own neighborhood?

Boston By Foot recently hosted free public tours of the North Burying Ground in Boston, marking a new collaboration with the city to improve site access. These events invite local residents to explore the historic cemetery that served the community from the 1630s until the 1940s.

Why it matters

By formalizing access to this historic space, the initiative seeks to increase community engagement within the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. The program aims to highlight the site's rich history while encouraging consistent public visitation.

The North Burying Ground contains over 2,000 interments, with sexton Daniel Davenport responsible for burying 1,837 bodies and digging over 700 graves. The site was active from the 1630s until the 1940s.

The players

Boston By Foot

This nonprofit organization utilizes a large network of volunteer guides to lead walking tours that highlight the history and architecture of Boston.

Boston Parks and Recreation Department

This municipal agency manages public green spaces and park facilities across the city.

Daniel Davenport

He was a long-serving sexton who performed a significant portion of the burial work at the North Burying Ground throughout his career.

Harvard College

This historic educational institution maintains a presence in the city and previously funded the restoration of a local monument.

The details

Boston By Foot is utilizing its network of over 200 volunteer guides to provide educational insights into the site, which includes the graves of Richard Mather and William Stoughton. The tours also honor the history of enslaved individuals buried there, including Betty, Bristol, and Cambridge.

The North Burying Ground was first established in the 1630s.
Harvard College restored the William Stoughton monument in 1828.
Daniel Davenport passed away in 1860.
Active burials at the cemetery concluded during the 1940s.
Boston By Foot held free public tours at the site on October 17, 2026.

Political Context

Opponents of increased foot traffic in historic cemeteries often cite concerns regarding the preservation of fragile headstones and the potential for site degradation. These stakeholders frequently advocate for maintaining restricted access policies to ensure long-term physical protection of the monuments.

Residents in the Dorchester and Roxbury areas can now participate in these educational programs without the previous administrative barrier of seeking individual site permission. These tours offer a direct way for locals to engage with historical landmarks that were previously less accessible.

The takeaway

Engaging with local historical sites helps maintain the cultural memory of neighborhoods like Dorchester and Roxbury. Residents are encouraged to check for upcoming tour schedules to support the preservation of these significant community landmarks.