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Forest Hills Cemetery
Category: Local Services Funeral Services & Cemeteries Funeral Services & Cemeteries [Edit]
95 Forest Hills Ave(between Cemetery Rd & Glen Rd)
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 524-0128
- Nearest Transit:
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131 Morton St (21, 31)
Arborway @ Shea Circle (16, 21, 31, 32, 36)
500 Arborway (16, 21, 31, 32, 34, 36, 38)
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
44 reviews for Forest Hills Cemetery
44 reviews in English
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Review from Daisy C.
Boston, MA
7/18/2011
I got engaged here a year ago (not a tombstone in sight btw) in April...why a cemetery you may ask?
This particular cemetery comes with a beautiful scenery and spots without tombstones. There's a lot of history going on here and a safe tranquility you can escape to. Besides, everyone who knows me knows that I love anything out of the ordinary and this place has it! There are often many art pieces designed by art students that really fits into this place, well worth visiting. I've also been here for biking and walking, you know, exercise with the dead and that sort of thing.
If you want to jog somewhere new and interesting or if you're a photographer in need of inspiration, go to this cemetery! -
Review from Kathy S.
7/27/2011
I went to the Lantern Festival here a few backs. I must say the grounds are immaculate. I can't believe I'm yelping a cemetery, but this place is really beautiful. They have a gorgeous pond, too.
The Lantern Festival was very well organized and everything was amazing. I would definitely go back. It made for definite amazing photo taking! -
Review from Travis D.
Winthrop, MA
4/24/2011
Wow, this place is such a gem. Dead people usually creep me out, but it's more like a park than a cemetery. I found myself admiring the art, the trees, the birds, and mostly praising my dog for not violating the sanctity of Joseph Warren's grave.
Tip: It helps to print out a map before you go. The little info stand at the entrance is usually empty. -
Review from Matt W.
10/21/2010 9 Check-ins Here
Cemeteries inherently have a lot of things going on appeal-wise. People like them because the headstones are cool, because they're well landscaped, because someone they know is there, because they're old, because they're kind of into The Cure.
Forest Hills Cemetery appeals to pretty much every interest set. Opened and designed in the 19th century by one of America's premiere horticulturalists, the landscape is brilliant, and touts the final resting places of historical notables like William Lloyd Garrison, Dr. Joseph Warren, and e. e. cummings. There's also a "lake" in the middle, surrounded by creepy gothic vaults (peer into the one marked "Felner." It's eery as hell).
There are also art installations throughout from the 19th century to present. Don't miss "boy in the boat" or "girl in the glass."
The cemetery, though it has a number of major landmarks that could presumably help guide you, is very easy to get lost in. If this happens to you, it won't take long for you to start thinking you're in some low budget horror movie that isn't that scary but really freaks you out regardless.
The crematorium is not far off, and holds inside it the ashes of Sacco and Vanzetti, the famous immigrant anarchists who were (possibly) falsely convicted of murder and executed by the state.
Forest Hills also makes a good date spot. I'm serious. There are lots of grassy spots around, and some lovely sculptures to sit next to for picnicking. That may sound creepy, but it is what the place was designed for. -
Review from Tom E.
10/25/2007
Forest Hills Cemetery, you fail at life.
Death, on the other hand, you do pretty well at. I'd say B+. You don't have a patch on my star pupil Mt Auburn Cemetery but you are a truckload prettier and more interesting than The Granary Cemetery in Boston.
Your C or D grade from a year or two ago has certainly been improved on with the addition of a picturesque frog pond and a new sculpture trail. Some of this art - like the small stone beds and spiral of branches - are A+ quality. Others, like the ghost hologram lady under the bridge, are a little juvenile don't you think? I mean, it scared the life out of me! I don't want to fail at life. That's your job.
Keep up the good work. -
Review from Sarah S.
Jamaica Plain, MA
7/18/2007
This place is awesome. Once I was upset and went here to cry. Isnt that what cemeteries are for?
Of course I also lived a block away, so it made sense at the time. The expanse of this place is staggering. You can get lost. Take someone with you, you'll get paranoid and swear you see things. A camera is the best accessory here - it's beautiful in autumn and the statues are ethereal and amazing. The mausoleums are also interesting - you can peak inside and see tombs and leaves and all that stale, dusty air. My friend once found an old compass on Anne Sexton's grave. I found some rusted contraption while walking through the woods there once. I have no idea what it is, but I like to think ee cummings left it there for me. Just kidding!
Sometimes there's poetry readings here. Now, I'm a poet and even I think the concept is a little over the top. Poets in a graveyard? Gee, that's not, like, a stereotype or anything. But if they asked me to read here would I say yes? You bet I would! -
Review from Anna F.
7/2/2008
This place is stunning. I hadn't thought about where I had planned to spend eternity- despite the prompts from the jesus people with sandwich signs and goofy religious tracts. That is... until I stepped into the Forest Hills Cemetery. I could spend a lazy Sunday picnicking under the shade of one of their many blossoming trees, walk along the paths admiring the sculpture, or venture in among the graves to read about those long since departed.
They often have art walks, as well as concerts and poetry in Forsyth Chapel and festivals such as the legendary Lantern festival (a must do- Thursday July 17th). For a calendar of events: go to http://www.foresthills...
a true Boston gem! -
Review from Jessica R.
Somerville, MA
7/8/2005 2 photos
It you like the Arboretum and you aren't afraid of a little morbidity, Forest Hills Cemetary is the place for you. It is 250 acres of trees, lakes, and graves. There is a chapel there and in addition to the sculptures and masoleums which traditionally accompany cemetaries, this one also has a selection of contemporary sculptures created specifically for a sculpture park that is mapped onto this older plan (originally opened in the 1840's).
I went there during the height of the snow storms in January and it was absolutely pristine/gorgeous, I can't wait to go back now that the weather has improved.....I suggest the annual lantern festival which occurs in July. Thousands of paper lanterns are lit and left to float on the lakes for an evening. -
Review from kurt m.
Jamaica Plain, MA
1/16/2010
I don't want to be buried when I die - my brain is too important to science - but if I would be, I'd want to be buried here, or in a place similar to Forest Hills. I'd like to think that people could enjoy the land and make it a place for the living while also giving them a chance to reflect on life. I like coming here to sit and read and write or go on walks. When I visited one day last summer people were walking their dogs, riding bicycles, doing yoga and reading by the pond. It makes it a vibrant place for recreation as well as self-reflection and one of those unique things that certainly makes Boston a great place to live.
It's also a great place to take pictures and of course there are many famous people buried here as well (including one e.e. cummings, whose name on his grave stone is spelled out in all capital letters). -
Review from Emily M.
7/15/2006 1 photo
Recently attended the Buddhist Lantern Lighting Festival.
What a beautiful, inspiring place. And it truly is joyous, gave me a new perspective on being in a cemetery.
The festival was gorgeous, parking was easy, and the people were all happy! Made me forget that we were in a city for a little while.
Can't wait to go back to just enjoy the scenery or attend another event.
You must go.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Maureen H.
Exeter, NH
12/11/2007 2 photos
Forest Hills is where my father, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts and cousins are buried. Today marks the 9th anniversary of my father's death so this is a review/nostalgic moment/happy anniversary post.
I used to think it was bizarre the way my family had photos of gravestones down through the years with flowers in front of them, and none of me growing up. Now it seems normal. We visited Forest Hills several times a year from the time I was born. Even so, I always get lost in there and even getting there. It's huge.
There was a reform school next door, and every time we drove by, my parents would tell us we'd end up there if we didn't behave. It's still the Dept. of Youth Services. It still makes me a little scared.
Some friends and I went to this year's Day of the Dead Ceremony in Nov. Very primal setting, lots of incense scenting the autumn air as those in charge of the ceremony built a roaring fire, chanted, the children's group La Pinata danced, a woman spoke about the ceremony, while gusts of wind blew leaves everywhere and dusk descended.
My dear friend's family is buried right next door in St. Michael's Cemetery...also not to be missed...amazing mausoleums and a great kiosk of information...lots and lots of Italian and Sicilians in there ;)).
My family's favorite memorial is the Boy in the Glass Boat. We allllways stopped off to look at it. We were always warned that's what would happen if we stepped foot in a boat. Recently I realized that's what would happen if you stepped foot out of a boat. And they should've included the hazards of tennis/badminton to their cautionary tale to be really thorough.
As listed, lots of notables in here. Not sure if anyone mentioned Eugene O'Neill, Gen. Dearborn, Gen Warren, and there's a beautiful statue of what looks like a Nigerian woman sitting cross-legged...not sure who she is. I should check.
Always a good place for a picnic. -
Review from Laura M.
5/29/2007
I visited the Forest Hills Cemetery for the first time this Memorial Day weekend. Because of the holiday they were offering a special 2-hour guided tour through the grounds, talking about the history of the place and specifically some of the "residents" who fought in the Civil War. We learned about members of some wealthy New England families who served their country (even though in those days you could pay someone else to serve for you) and visited the grave of William Lloyd Garrison the abolitionist.
It was also recently discovered that at an unmarked site near the May family plot (same May as in Louisa May Alcott) lies the tomb of William Dawes. You may know him as the "other guy" who made that midnight ride with Paul Revere. Though there are memorial markers for Dawes at Mt. Auburn cemetery, he rests at Forest Hills, and nobody even knew until one of the staff was going through some old files and found the records about him.
There is so much history at this place, but it's not all morbid. To see people placing stones and planting flowers on Garrison's simple grave shows that his revolutionary ideas live on today. Meanwhile, the beautiful grounds host tons of cool sculpture, including works by Daniel Chester French -- more of this statues than any place in the world except his studio at Chesterwood. Modern art installations also grace the hills, and you can wander aimlessly looking at the Victorian symbols on memorials in the old parts of the cemetery.
There are tons of tours with different focuses -- nature and birdwatching, history, art -- and I'd recommend checking out the schedule to see if they interest you. It's totally worth visiting; you'll learn new things and get a sense of combined awe and peacefulness from the experience of this tranquil place.Listed in: Culture Club
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Review from Mark B.
Dedham, MA
5/16/2009
Forest Hills Cemetery was founded to serve the then-City of Roxbury in 1848. Along with Mt. Auburn in Cambridge, Forest Hills was intended to replace the old Colonial graveyards as a place of contemplation of Nature. The first land bought for the cemetery was the Seaverns farm - note Seaverns ave. off Centre st in Jamaica Plain center. It was expanded to its present size by the purchase of more farm and estate land over the years. Ironically, no sooner did the City of Roxbury open the cemetery than the the southwest portion of the city (including Jamaica Plain) seceded and formed the short-lived Town of West Robury. The Forest Hills square and neighborhood tooks its name from the cemetery, not the other way around.
Historical nugget: one hunderd years ago, a gang of Latvian yeggmen (bandits) robbed a tavern on Washington st. and shot their way through the streets of Jamaica Plain. They hid out in Forest Hills cemetery, where the police surrounded them for the night. When the police went in, there was a massive shoot-out, killing one man, while the others escaped, never to be caught.
http://www.jphs.org/20...Listed in: Jamaica Plain History Sites
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Review from Susan R.
12/27/2007
Beautiful cemetery and worth the visit. The only way I can describe cemeteries in Boston to people that don't live in Boston is, this is the thing to do. People here visit cemeteries like people in other cities visit parks and museums. Cemeteries are where normal people go, not just young teens trying to cause trouble or goth types.
Walk around, sit down, enjoy the sites, have a picnic, visit the gravestones.... it is absolutely beautiful and stunning on all levels.Listed in: State and National Parks
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Review from Korri Leigh C.
Boston, MA
7/20/2006
I'm fully obsessed with the FHC. Its absolutely gorgeous for one, and their plenitude of public art is staggering. As a warning however, keep an eye out for one of the sculptures - a 'family' of wire, headless silhouettes formed around the trees. I was walking through at dusk and I was almost positive I had ran into a group of ghosts!
A few tips:
- A great place for jogging but my Uncle is a Boston Police Officer and forbids me from going in there after dark.
- Definitely attend the lantern festival in July - you will be moved.
- Take pictures! Between the art and the ornate gravestones you'll get some great shots
- Take the Orange line to Forest Hills and walk up
- Respect the space and nature
- Think, Contemplate, Draw, Dream, Walk, Sing, Enjoy : )Listed in: My old 'hood, Non Yelp-y Yelps
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Review from Eve L.
Brighton, MA
11/5/2007
Discovered this place just this past weekend. It's wonderful. A lot like Mt Auburn Cemetery, which kept me from ever having to discover Forest Hills when I lived in Cambridge. But Forest Hills has a really cool sculpture walk, which is a nice addition. You MUST sit in the "poetry chairs" around the lake, which is in the center. Seriously, they are the most comfortable things I've sat in in a long time. And they have a great view.
Saw a red tailed hawk land right at the water's edge, and then fly off again. No further than 15 feet from us. A real treat. Plus there were blue jays and geese and buffleheads...and lots of beautiful foliage and of course, we payed homage to e.e. cummings, who'se grave is really not all that hard to find, if you read the guide. He's buried in his mother's plot, which is the Clarke family. Next time, we'll pay homage to Anne Sexton. -
Review from Angelina C.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2007
When I was a kid, one of our car "rules" was that you had to hold your breath when driving past a cemetery. This rule could only be bypassed if you were wearing red. On one stretch of land in the middle of my hometown, the breath-holding time easily surpassed a minute and we'd arrive at an intersection just past the cemetery red-faced and watching to see if the other person breathed, in which case he or she was like the biggest loser, ever. It's amazing what kind of things kids invent in a minivan.
That said, I'm lucky to live in JP near some of the most beautiful spots in greater Boston. This place is no exception and now, outside my mom's old Chrysler and without my younger sisters in tow, I somehow feel free enough to both run *and* breathe through this place without any thought to old superstitions. I've gotten lost here enough to know the ins and outs (and to not tread accidentally through someone's backyard), where some of the dog gravestones are and the sculpture in the midst of the tombs. I love the benches around the pond. I love the stone bridge.
That said, as of late, each time I go to Forest Hills I've ended up in a downpour. I wonder if there's a correlation.Listed in: JP's finest
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Review from Francesca R.
7/5/2008
Back in the day, American cemeteries were landscaped with great care so that people could commune with their loved ones. The sentiment is a bit macabre, but I suppose at the time there was a very constant sense of God, spirituality, and the great beyond. So a cemetery-cum-park was a practical way to make sure your leisure time was still appropriately contemplative.
Nowadays, you can enjoy FH on that level or simply as a curiousity, a place to play, or an outdoor gallery of art. The central pond and wending paths make this a very pretty place in Spring, Summer and Fall. The tombstones themselves are ornate works of art, but the main draw is the modern art sculptures, stratregically placed so that looking for them is like a treasure hunt.
At the main gates there is a place to pick up pamphlets that map out where the sculptures are and where other points of interest are (like e. e. cummings grave). What makes this place a success in terms of aesthetics is the way the art is strategically integrated into the landscape to be surprising and thought-provoking, yet still respectful and (mostly) reverent.
This is a great place for a picnic or a wander. I like to bring visitors here, to show them something unique and special in Boston. -
Review from Naomi U.
Cambridge, MA
5/27/2008
4 stars for their Lantern Festival
A sort of American O-Bon
An early evening gathering in the park.
Drumming
Floating Spirit Lanterns
A good place to go with dinner, and a blanket... after a hot summer day.
Really well organized venue -
Review from chelsea a.
Windham, NH
9/4/2008 4 photos
At Forest Hills Cemetery, crowds rushed past gravestone markers, small groves named Buckthorn and Larkspur Path amidst the sounds of thudding drumbeats by Buddhist drums.
On July 17th, it was the 10th annual Lantern Festival, held each year at the cemetery to honor the dead by Buddhist tradition. A ceremony with chorus members singing in Japanese, Kilts men playing bagpipes, and hundreds of lit paper lanterns dotting the waters of Lake Hibiscus.
The ceremony is based on Buddhist tradition which is steeped in the symbolic nature of death and the Japanese Bon Festival, which believes that a window opens to the world of the ancestors on the lake allowing messages to be sent to the other side.
Residents from all over Massachusetts gathered in this Jamaica Plain cemetery, many mourning those who had recently died.
Wandering over toward the taiko drumming, a traditional Japanese art with ceremonial grunts, thuds and clicks came together for a primal melody, families assembled around the lake, some taking pictures of the festivities while others concentrating on decorating translucent paper with their friends. The music ceased and the growing audience applauded.
Over by the other side of the lake, a mob of people waited patiently despite the heavy humidity to get Chinese symbols painted on their lantern. Most chose the symbol for "Love".
As the sun sank into complete darkness, a thousand points of light floated on the lake symbolizing the soul's journey after death. -
Review from R V.
Waltham, MA
1/27/2010
I want to commend the staff at Forest Hills for the variety of events they offer throughout the year. The lantern festival is the most famous but their poetry events and walking tours show a deep interest in bringing this place of the dead back to life, so to speak.
I still haven't found all the notables I'd like to find here... but that just gives me an excuse to go back. -
Review from Matt M.
Boston, MA
8/23/2009
Forest Hills Cemetery. My home away from home. This is where I go when I'm in a real sturm-und-drang mood, or just feeling introspective. Which is often. I can and have spent entire days here, and picnicked here.
There's some celebrities here, sure, but I don't really go for that. I also don't care much for the morning jogger/dogwalker crowd. The best time to go here, in my opinion, is during mid-fall, at sunset. I stroll aimlessly as the sun goes down, listening to Funeral Party by the Cure on repeat, or maybe some random darkwave on pandora, and just enjoy the peace and sense of self a beautifully landscaped cemetery induces in me.
And to remind me that, no matter how bad I'm feeling at this point in my life, I've got it way better than these folks.
There's also a house in this cemetery, near the entrance. If I could, I'd live in it. no, I am not kidding. :( -
Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2007
I feel so fortunate to have been guided here by yelpers. I'd gone about living, totally unaware of the serenity that these sacred grounds command. As the oldest cemetery in New England, the 250 acre grounds houses a beautiful family of trees. The air is crisp. The tombs are ornate. Gravestones worn, but it gives you a reason to bend down and pay attention. There is so much history in this area and we tend to neglect most of it. So delve into the past a bit, ruminate. There's the perfect two chairs on the shore of the lake, cut from the trunk of the same tree in four strong swipes. Great for views of the shifting lantern formations in July.
Listed in: Green Space, Beloved Outdoors, Boston's Incredible Views
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Review from Alex S.
Brooklyn, NY
8/29/2008
First things first: do not miss the annual (sometimes semi-annual) Dog Walk. A cultural curator who works with the Forest Hills Trust leads guests, with their dogs in tow, around the ground, telling incredibly fascinating stories about the surprisingly large number of animal sculptures through the cemetery. I was surprised by how much I loved it.
This is one of my favorite places in all of Boston. The Forest Hills Cemetery (dog- and picnic-friendly) is the perfect spot to go for a long walk any time of year, as each season seems to showcase a different aspect of its beauty. During the warmer months, you can find solace underneath the large tree near the pond; I highly recommend taking a good book (or bringing a friend) and relaxing in one of those funky lounge chairs made from tree trunks and hammered metal. Autumn is fantastic anywhere in New England, and it is one of the best times to go for a stroll here. The smell of the trees, plants and freshly fallen, crunchy leaves is just wonderful; a quick, easy, and refreshing escape from the city without ever having to leave it. The Forest Hills Cemetery should not be missed in the winter. Taking a walk here, in that relative silence that snow brings, with everything blanketed in white, is absolutely wonderful.
In addition to being a fantastic place to go on your own and look at the year-round art displays, FHC also hosts some of Boston's greatest community events (and educational walks, too). The Day of the Dead Festival, held every fall, is hands down my favorite (the annual Lantern Festival is a close second), and should not be missed. Check out the calendar on their website for up-to-date listings. Many are free, the rest are very inexpensive, and everything, including is truly excellent.
The next time you're looking for something fun to do, just take the orange line to Forest Hills, grab a sandwich and drink from Java Jo's, walk up Tower Street to gates of the cemetery, and enjoy your peaceful surroundings.Listed in: There is a Light That Will…
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Review from oiyan p.
Boston, MA
4/5/2009
Both of my paternal grandparents are buried here. The story goes that my grandfather loved exploring Boston on the T when he first got here. One day, he decided to check out the Forest Hills area, and found this stunning cemetery. He apparently told my grandmother in passing once about how lovely the place was, especially the wide open hillside. When he passed away, and the family was looking for a cemetery, my grandmother mentioned that he'd really enjoyed the Forest Hills/Jamaica Plain area. That was back in 1986.
I remember driving into the cemetery for the first time being fascinated by the mausoleums and tombs, statues of angels, and just gorgeous landscaping with trees everywhere. You drive down this street to the left of the entrance, and hook a left on Yew, and suddenly you're out of the tree-shaded area with beautiful mausoleums and out into this open rolling hill, where the names on the tombstones suddenly all become Chinese with a few Italian names here and there mixed in. There's a lot more Chinese graves there now populating that once barren hillside, and most of them are Chinese. Something about the fung-shui of that field that attracts folks.
Today was the first time I've been back to visit my grandparents since 2000, when my grandmother passed away. In fact, we had a bit of a family reunion with 22 of us (ages 6 months-72) visiting for the Chinese Ching Ming holiday. For Ching Ming, we basically go honor our ancestors with incense, booze, and a family picnic in the cemetery, while we burn fake money and gold by the grave. The kids are given incense sticks to give out to our great/grandparents' "neighbors." It's a good neighborly gesture :)
in the past, I remember signs that said "no fire." This time I saw a sign at the gate saying "Forest Hills welcomes visitors for Ching Ming," and there were several metal bins available for people to use for burning stuff, and the "no fires" signs are gone. Seems like the cemetery understands their clientele now, especially as the Chinese population is growing here. I noticed other families around were lighting firecrackers to scare away evil spirits too. Kids run around and play, and the family has a nice picnic of roast pork (pork belly), chicken, fruits, buns, and pastries, after we kowtow'd 3 times to the graves, and poured some booze into the ground for my grandparents. The elders say a few words of respect and joke around asking if my grandparents are happy about seeing how much their family as grown. Everyone catches up with each other about life, jokes around with each other, and just generally has a good time.
It's a good time to reflect on the changes in the family, and to remember where we've come from. On this visit, I've really appreciated the changes the cemetery has made to truly embrace the cultural diversity of its "residents" and their loved ones. Gone with the unwelcoming "no fires!" signs, which to me as a kid felt like they were signs saying "No Chinese cultural practices!" And in with welcoming and supporting their clients and the diversity that is Boston. -
Review from John W.
Los Angeles, CA
7/18/2008
Forest Hills Cemetery rivals Mt Auburn as the city's best "garden cemetery." Here, the Victorian landscape design is complimented by a contemporary sculpture path. Most impressive however is the annual Lantern Festival where thousands of people picnic around Lake Hibiscus, entertained by music and dance performances. Then at dusk, everybodyl lights candles inside paper lanterns and floats them in the lake. The sight of the glowing lanterns against the darkening sky is one of the most peaceful things i have ever witnessed.
Listed in: Culture Vultures - boston
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Review from Quinn E.
It seems like everything has been said already. So to sum up- it's freaking gorgeous, there are art installations and so much nature. And graves. Famous people are buried here (like e.e. cummings, good luck finding his grave!) so there's that element which adds to the attraction of this place. But I've been out to see the famous graves a million times. My favorite part about FH Cemetery is finding something (old, but) new every time. It's enormous, so each time I take a stroll through, I'll see some huge gorgeous tree or a really interesting tomb or even just a plain old gravestone with something unique written on it. One of these days I'll go on a guided tour and get the real experience, but until then I'll continue to wander up Tower Street on an otherwise boring day and find hours of distractions.
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Review from Allison T.
Allston, MA
8/17/2007
The first time I was here the former gent and I were being mushy and watching the paper lantern ceremony. On the way in a toddler running along with his mom became enamoured with us and made a grand escape attempt in hopes of following the young people with the too tight pants. Eventually for Mom's sanity we scooted on ahead, putting some distance between us and our potential kidnap victim. When we had slowed down we took some time to really wander and take in the beautiful landscaping and intense sculpture that makes Forest Hills what it is. As others have said, it's a very inspiring place to wander through--a great way to recapture your own serenity. Even after dark (leaving the Lantern festival) Forest Hills did not evoke the typical day camp fear of cemeteries. If you need a place to clear your mind, recapture your sense of self, or just find inspiration, take a trip to Forest Hills.
And definitely don't miss the paper lantern festival.Listed in: Innovative dates and outtings, Urban Pastoral
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Review from dio c.
Roslindale, MA
3/12/2008
Beautiful during the spring and summer months. I love going there to walk around, sketch, draw, observe, etc. I'm a mausoleum junky, and there are great ones there lol. RIP all who lay there.
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Review from Doug W.
Jamaica Plain, MA
7/3/2008
Forest Hills Cemetery is a garden of personal monuments, a refuge for the monied past seeking immortality. These long-dead men and women once had hopes and dreams and trials and tribulations: now they have stone monoliths. Part beautiful architecture and part gaudy excess, the Cemetery is absolutely gorgeous in the spring and summer. It's the perfect place for to go for an afternoon stroll or an early morning jog. Don't miss the mid-July Lantern Festival.
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Review from Gary K.
Allston, MA
3/14/2008
I never thought I would be rating a cemetery but the Forest Hills Cemetery is a beautiful place to visit. I am an Architectural Renderer so I love to go and sketch there. In the spring they have local artist works displayed there and some of the old monuments make great subjects to scetch. The other place I like to go when I have time is Mt Auburn.
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Review from Kristin G.
Quincy, MA
10/3/2007
I love this place. I just went back recently- it had been a long time. More than a few family members of mine are buried here- so I used to get "dragged" here as a kid- but even back then I knew there was something magical about this place. There's plenty to see, and it's a great place to jog or ride a bicycle and take it all in- during the daytime. I can't even put into words how much i love this place.
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Review from Ian S.
Jamaica Plain, MA
6/26/2007
I love it. This is the best park! Better than the arboretum, the pond, everything!! This cemetery is absolutely beautiful. People may think it odd to hand out in a cemetery, but this is different.
FHC has art installations all over the place. Really cool stuff, and new stuff all the time.
There are two ponds in FHC. One is man made in the new section with a beautiful waterfall. The other seems natural, the birds love it, there are islands in it, and if you hang out long enough, you will see the Crane. Big tall beautiful bird.
Fine E E Cummings, some of the oldest graves in America, and my Great Grand-Parents (who I didn't know were there until I moved to JP!).
Plenty of room for bike riding, jogging, dog walking, picnicking.
Amazing gates at the entrance that look like a castle.
A beautiful chapel where they have poetry readings and concerts.
I'm going to the Buddhist lantern fest this year for the first time, can't wait. -
Review from Vivian W.
Hingham, MA
2/22/2008
I've never been one to stroll around a cemetary and in all fairness, I went to this cemetary to participate in the Dia De Los Muertos event on November 2nd (or thereabouts, who can remember). What an experience! This is some beautiful cemetary and they have the most extraordinary events. If you've never been to the Day of the Dead at this cemetary, mark your calendar and go. People bring food offerings for their loved ones (including cat food for their deceased cats) and then after the ceremony, the participants are invited to partake of the food that is left at the alters (not the cat food, unless you're really just that hungry). One woman had brought twinkies to memorialize her brother-in-law because he had loved twinkies (and who knows- perhaps that's why he's deceased). Anyway, the entire experience was absolutely magical with the incense floating up to the heavens, the candles and the children from the local fokloric dance troupe doing traditional dances.
It appears that there are other events here throughout the year. Now that I've been turned on to this hidden gem, I'll most definitely make it a habit of going back. -
Review from Phil O.
Boston, MA
Updated - 6/11/2010
I hit this place almost daily with my dog Jack and we enter through a convenient hole in the fence on our block. Dogs are allowed here though not off leash so we stick mainly to the trails. This is a great place; quiet, peaceful, naturey.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/13/2010
i walk through here almost every day with my dog and it's great, though we stick to the non grave… Read more »
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Review from jen g.
Quincy, MA
5/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
I can't even begin to explain the beauty that exists here. Read the other reviews. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would.
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Review from Whitney W.
Jamaica Plain, MA
6/13/2007
It would be criminal to live in Jamaica Plain or Boston and not visit the Forest Hills Cemetery. There is so much history here, and it is fascinating to wander around unguided, or to go on a guided tour. Do not miss the Day of the Dead celebration that occurs in November.
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Review from Deepa C.
Somerville, MA
7/13/2007
i went here last night for the lantern ceremony and was blown away.
too much buffy turned me off of cemetaries in the past, but now i am begining to appriciate thier beauty and serenity. i live near mt auburn, which is nice, but forest hills blows that one away swith is sweeping grandure, trees and buildings.
i will def come back for a walk or a tour or another event. and i will be back next year for the lantern ceremony (with a charged camera this time...) -
Review from M T.
Jamaica Plain, MA
11/10/2008
Don't come here.
Seriously. Don't come here.
Don't you dare come here, because I don't want to share.
I don't want to share the pair of redtailed hawks that perch on the tombstones. Or the random clouds of mourning-cloak butterflies. Or the lone cormorant who hangs out on the rocks in Lake Hibiscus. Or the great horned owls calling to eachother through the hemlock grove at dusk. Or the smell of fallen leaves in the Autumn and damp earth in the Spring. Or the mushrooms that spring up everywhere after a rainstorm and look like something out of a fairytale. Or the easy silence that makes you forget completely that you're still in the city.
I don't want to share that. I want it all to myself.
So whatever you do, don't come here. Go somewhere else. Please.Listed in: The Jizzle Pizzle
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Review from Jackie K.
Boston, MA
2/19/2009
This place is utterly beautiful. It houses my favorite poet of all time, e.e.cummings, and many more to boast about. Less than a half mile from the Forest Hills station (orange line), or you can sneak in at midnight, of course with the boyfriend leading the way (there's a broken portion of the gate behind some church over that way) and it's freakyyyyy but really awesome. I highly recommend that! I love it in all the snow wonderland-ness. It's fabulous, and I took some great B&W's there with my 35mm :o) Also, those grave stones jut out like nothin' you've ever seen before if you haven't seen an old graveyard, ya gotta get over here.
