On A Hidden Hill In Concord
A large cement cross, standing over 7 feet tall atop a stone pedestal in the center of a field and surrounded by a series of small numbered stones, is all that marks the location of the Concord Reformatory Cemetery off of Route 2 in Concord, Massachusetts. Two hundred and eighteen individuals who served time in the Massachusetts Correctional system from 1878 to 1996 lay buried here. Their graves were identified only by small, numbered stones, offering no details of those laid buried, beyond that of a hand-drawn number and a few letters. Very little was known about these men until now.
The “Naming the Unnamed” Project tells the story of the cemetery, and the men buried there through online galleries & videos, a dynamic interactive map, as well as artwork, and a contemplative seating area with interpretive panels where the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail intersects this humble space. Take a moment and explore these resources, and updated news, as you begin your own journey to bring names to those unknown.
It’s by recognizing these men as people, not numbers; we turn the markers into monuments and honor those who died in custody.
On A Hidden Hill In Concord
A large cement cross, standing over 7 feet tall atop a stone pedestal in the center of a field and surrounded by a series of small numbered stones, is all that marks the location of the Concord Reformatory Cemetery off of Route 2 in Concord, Massachusetts. Two hundred and eighteen individuals who served time in the Massachusetts Correctional system from 1878 to 1996 lay buried here. Their graves were identified only by small, numbered stones, offering no details of those laid buried, beyond that of a hand-drawn number and a few letters. Very little was known about these men until now.
The “Naming the Unnamed” Project tells the story of the cemetery, and the men buried there through online galleries & videos, a dynamic interactive map, as well as artwork, and a contemplative seating area with interpretive panels where the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail intersects this humble space. Take a moment and explore these resources, and updated news, as you begin your own journey to bring names to those unknown.
It’s by recognizing these men as people, not numbers; we turn the markers into monuments and honor those who died in custody.
Explore the Project
Cemetery Project, Events, In The News, News, Project Events
Honoring the Unnamed: A Powerful Evening at the Concord Reformatory Cemetery Showcase Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the Cemetery
Cemetery Project, In The News, News, Who Is Buried?
Concord Prison Outreach, with a mission to increase education, personal growth and opportunities for inmates and their families, pays attention to the deceased through Naming the Unnamed.
Cemetery Project, Featured Article, News, Project Events
Naming Dedication at The Concord Reformatory Cemetery Take a moment to watch the recording of the Naming Dedication held October 6th, 2024, honoring the 218 men from the
Cemetery Project, Project Details
From 1878 until 1996, the Concord Prison Cemetery became the final resting place for 218 men who died while incarcerated, buried in numbered graves, with no name. The cemetery is marked by a large cement cross, mounted on a cement pedestal, visible from Route 2.
Cemetery Project, Map, Who Is Buried?
Explore this interactive map as you put names to the 218 forgotten men who died while incarcerated in the Massachusetts prison system between 1878 and 1996 and are laid to rest in the Concord Prison Cemetery.
Cemetery Project, Galleries, Who Is Buried?
In the spring of 2022, Lisa Daria Kennedy, Associate Professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design collaborated with the Concord Prison Outreach leadership team on the “Naming the Unnamed” Project to bring an artistic expression to each of the people buried at the Concord Reformatory Cemetery.
Cemetery Project, Galleries, Project Details, Who Is Buried?
A multi-faceted community-based project, "Naming the Unnamed" memorializes 218 men buried at the Concord Reformatory Cemetery, bringing this historic place forward as an integral part of Concord’s future.
Cemetery Project, Galleries, Who Is Buried?
We recognize the individuals buried in the prison cemetery as people, not numbers; as we turn the markers into monuments and honor those who died while in custody. Explore this marker gallery in your own quest to put names to the numbers.
Cemetery Project, Galleries
The Concord Reformatory opened in 1878, with seven men interned to the cemetery in it's first year. Over it's 118 year time span, 218 graves dotted this small hill in Concord, MA.
Cemetery Project, Rail Trail
Learn more about the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the upcoming plans for a contemplative seating area paying respect to the 218 men laid to rest in the Concord Prison Cemetery.
In The News, News
Concord Prison Outreach, with a mission to increase education, personal growth and opportunities for inmates and their families, pays attention to the deceased through Naming the Unnamed.
Cemetery Project, In The News, News, Project Details
It was March 6, 2023, when the CPO Concord Cemetery Advisory group originally conducted a site visit to determine how the ADA pathway design could best serve all visitors at the project site.
Cemetery Project, In The News, News, Project Details
CPO is thrilled to collaborate with Lisa Kennedy’s Massachusetts College of Art and Design class to commemorate the lives of people buried at the Concord Reformatory Cemetery.
