CODMAN BURYING GROUND & PARK
2021-PRESENT | DORCHESTER CENTER, BOSTON, MA
ROLE: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CONCEPT DESIGN, RENDERINGS, DOCUMENTATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION
BUDGET: $350,000
PARTNERS: COG DESIGN
The Codman Burying Ground is a historic garden cemetery established in 1847 by Rev. Dr. John Codman in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. The community of Codman Square was named after the Reverend following his death to honor more than 40 years of his service to the area. In his will, Codman gifted 3.5 acres of land to create a cemetery for the Second Parish of Dorchester, which served as the final resting place for many prominent Bostonians and civil war veterans alike. As was common at that time, the original cemetery circulation and layout were in the shape of angel wings.
The cemetery and its supporting parish experienced a major decline during white flight, which transformed Dorchester (and many American cities) in the 1950’s and 60’s. As a result, the ethnocultural diversity of Dorchester grew exponentially making it one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the USA. Unfortunately, the burying ground stopped receiving burials in the 1960’s and was gated and closed to the community in the 1990’s due to vandalism. Even so, this little plot of 3.5 acres is one of the few green spaces in the dense, developed neighborhood and the Second Church of Dorchester and local residents have been trying for decades to transform this into a space for contemplation, learning, and community gatherings. In 2020, COG Design and Goode Landscape Studio (Goode) took on a partnership with the Second Church to develop a landscape concept design that reflects community outreach and serves the needs of the Codman Square neighborhood of today.
Our concept plan proposes a hybrid park-cemetery space in the 1.5 acres of land abutting the street, which has never been used for burials. This will be transformed into a public park with diverse programs, planting, and spaces that reflect and celebrate the remarkable diversity of Codman Square. For the remaining 3 acres, we propose updating dilapidated headstones, tombs, paths, and fences, and to introduce more seating and interpretive signs that highlight the important historical, cultural, and ecological heritage of this site. We look forward to continued partnerships with the Second Church of Dorchester and the community of Codman Square to bring this amazing space to life.