WESTFIELD—The Old Burying Ground is once again opening its gates when the cemetery’s history comes alive during Open Gate Day.
The annual event will be happening next Saturday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at The Old Burying Ground on Mechanic Street. Visitors can enter the hallowed grounds and learn about Westfield history, from the city’s founding to the Revolutionary War in the Whip City and beyond. The event is being held by the Westfield Historical Commission, and will include several local children acting as past citizens who were buried in the old cemetery.
Front of The Old Burying Ground.
The event is no cost to attend but donations are accepted.
“We try to teach Westfield History to our students, and by actually getting involved with it it helps them to better understand who formed our city,” Cindy Gaylord, chairperson of the Westfield Historic Commission, said.
Gaylord’s Munger Hill School fifth grade students will be the ones portraying those from Westfield’s past. Those being portrayed include General William Shepard, Rev. Edward Taylor, James Falley, Jr., Margaret Moseley Ashley, Ezra Clapp and Nathaniel Fowler.
In addition to the students, there will also be members of the Westfield Historical Commission, who will give guided tours and answer any questions throughout the event.
The Old Burying Ground is the oldest cemetery in Westfield, with headstones dating as far back as 1683, and the most recent being from 1934. However, a majority of the stones are from the late 1600s up until the early- to mid-1800s. At one point, the site had over 1,600 tombstones, but due to weather and theft the site is now down to about 1,100.
