NATIONAL REGISTER BULLETIN Technicalinformation on comprehensive planning, survey of cultural resources,and registrationin the National Register of Historic Places . U.S. Departmentof the Interior NationalPark Service - Cultural Resources Interagency ResourcesDivision GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING AND REGISTERING CEMETERIES AND BURIALPLACES Mission: As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Deparhnent of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally-owned public lands and natural and cultural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish,wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historic places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Deparhnent assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The Deparhnent also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. Administration. This publication is financed by the National Park Service, United States Deparhnent of the Interior. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the United States Deparhnent of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, handicap, or age in its programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire furtherinformation please write: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, IX20013-7127. (Cover Photo). The East Parish Burying Ground in Newton,Massachusetts, is an important link to the city's 17th centuryorigins and illustrates the characteristic features of a dense concentration of tablet-type markersbearing grim epitaphs and carved imagery. (Thelma Fleishman, 1981). NATIONAL REGISTER BULLETIN41 GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING AND REGISTERING CEMETERIESAND BURIAL PLACES by ElisabethWalton Potter and Beth M. Boland U.S. Deparhnentof the Interior National Park Service Interagency Resources Division NationalRegist er of Historic Places 1992 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ............................................................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................................................iii L Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 II. Burial Customs and Cemeteries in American History ...................................................................................3 Native American Burial Customs ........................................................................................................................ 3 Colonial and Early American Burial Customs ................................................................................................. .4 Origins of the "Rural" Cemetery Movement ..................................................................................................... 4 The "Rural" Cemetery Movement and its Impact on American Landscape Design .................................. 6 Military Cemeteries ............................................................................................................................................... 6 IIL Types of Burial Places and Associated Features ............................................................................................. 8 IV. Evaluating Cemeteries and Burial Places ......................................................................................................... 9 Applying the National Register Criteria for Evaluation .................................................................................. 9 Special Requirements: Criteria Considerations ............................................................................................. 14 Integrity .................................................................................................................................................................. 18 V. Documenting and Registering Cemeteries and Burial Places ..................................................................... 20 General Approach ......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Researchand Field Investigation ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 Site Plans ................................................................................................................................................. 22 Photographs ................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Archeology .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Boundaries and Periods of Significance ........................................................................................................................... 23 Ownership .............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Completing the National Register Registration Form ................................................................................... 24 Classification .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Contributing Features ........................................................................................................................... 24 Functions .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Description and Analysis of Features and Significance .................................................................. 24 Description .............................................................................................................................. 25 Significance .............................................................................................................................. 25 Boundary Description and Justification ............................................................................................. 25 Maps and Photographs .................................................................................................................................. 26 VI. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................................... 27 VII. Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................................... 28 VIIL Some Recommended Sources ................................................................................................................................. 30 IX. National Register Criteria for Evaluation ............................................................................................................... 33 PREFACE The creationof the NationalRegister indicated a desire that theSecretary of burial places and features can represent. of Historic Places in 1966provided the the Interior review National Register The growing emphasison the history of firstnational recognition for historic Criteria for Evaluationfrom time to time ordinary individuals, grass rootsmove­ propertiespossessing State or local to ensure theireffectiveness in carrying ments, culturaland designed landscapes, significance, and uniform standards for out the policiesof the Act. In 1986, and various cultural groupshas nurtured evaluatingthem. TheNational upon the occasion of the 20th anniver­ this evolution. At the sametime, the Register's Criteria forEvaluation saryof the National Historic Preserva­ identification,maintenance, and preser­ establishedthe threshold fordefining tionAct, theNational Park Service vation of burial places is increasingly the qualitiesthat would make sucha organizedsuch a review. In their threatened through neglect,ignorance, propertyworthy of preservation,but December17, 1986, report,those who and vandalism. This publicationis alsoneeded to ensure credibility reviewed the criteriaconcluded that no intended to focusattention on these through adherence to standardsaccept­ revision of criteriawording was war­ resourcesand provide detailedguidance able to relevant professional disciplines. ranted, but recommendedseveral issues on the qualities thatrender burial places Through thespecial requirements of the that could benefit fromclarification significant representativesof our history CriteriaConsiderations, the criteria both through additional published guidance. worthy of preservation. caution against