J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

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Friday, April 09, 2010

Walking Tour at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 10 April

Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge was founded in 1831, a couple generations after American independence, and I don’t know of any Revolutionary figures who were buried there. (A couple might have been moved out there by their families, as at Forest Hills.)

However, Mount Auburn is the euphemistic resting-place for several authors who shaped our national understanding of the Revolution, including:

  • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, author of “Paul Revere’s Ride.”
  • Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, author of “The Last Leaf” and other poems.
  • Josiah Quincy, author of his namesake father’s biography.
  • Jared Sparks, first editor of George Washington’s papers.
On Saturday, 10 April, at 2:00 P.M., Rob Velella of the The American Literary Blog will lead a walking tour of Mount Auburn with the theme “Legends of the Revolution: Poetical Myth-Making in the 19th Century.” The cost is $10, $5 for cemetery members, and presumably free for cemetery “residents.”

1 comment:

Barbara Poole said...

Thanks for that information. Think I'll go on Sunday (avoid the crowds). Your photo is lovely.