Mount Auburn Cemetery is more than Auburn’s largest cemetery—it is one of the city’s most important historical resources. With approximately 12,000 graves, its grounds preserve the stories of generations of families who helped build and shape the Auburn community.
According to local historian Ralph Skinner, the origins of Mount Auburn Cemetery can be traced to the early Gowell neighborhood, one of Auburn’s first settled areas. Long before Auburn became a city, residents established a small burial ground known as the “Old Yard.” The earliest known burial was that of Copeland Collier in 1806, making this section among the oldest surviving reminders of Auburn’s earliest settlers.
The cemetery contains the graves of many pioneering families whose names once defined the neighborhood, including the Gowells, Chamberlains, Staples, Harlows, and Colliers. Their monuments provide a tangible connection to the people who settled the area and laid the foundations of the community more than two centuries ago.
As the community grew, so did the cemetery. In 1875, Mount Auburn Cemetery was formally incorporated, reflecting its expanding role in serving the residents of Auburn. Over time, additional burial grounds, including the former Lake Auburn Cemetery, became part of Mount Auburn, helping create the historic cemetery known today.
The cemetery became the final resting place for generations of residents, including veterans who served in the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean Conflict. Today, the grounds stand as both a peaceful place of remembrance and a remarkable archive of local history.
From its earliest beginnings in the Gowell neighborhood to its incorporation in 1875 and continued service to the community, Mount Auburn Cemetery remains a place of dignity, reflection, and heritage. Each gravestone tells a story, and together they preserve the legacy of the people whose lives helped shape Auburn’s past and continue to inspire its future.
