Earlier in this season of The Object of History, we visited the tombs of Robert C. Winthrop (Season 4, Episode 4) and Isabella Stewart Gardner (Season 4, Episode 5). In both episodes, we asked Meg Winslow, Senior Curator of Historical Collections & Archives at Mount Auburn Cemetery, to provide some context for our listeners. On this bonus episode, we revisit Mount Auburn, learn more about its history, and share additional portions of our conversation with Winslow.

Mount Auburn is the first American cemetery that purposely combined commemoration with elements of experimental gardening, picturesque landscape design, and access to nature, starting a trend across the nation in the mid-19th century that led to the creation of the first public parks in this country.

Learn more about episode objects here: https://www.masshist.org/podcast/season-4-bonus-episode-Mount-Auburn

Email us at [email protected].

Listen to Episode 4

Listen to Episode 5

Episode Special Guest:

Meg L. Winslow is Senior Curator of Historical Collections & Archives at Mount Auburn Cemetery where she is responsible for developing and overseeing the Cemetery's permanent collections of historical and aesthetic importance. Meg is co-author with Melissa Banta of The Art of Commemoration and America's First Rural Cemetery, Mount Auburn's Significant Monument Collection, in its third printing.

This episode uses materials from:

Meadowland (Instrumental) by Chad Crouch (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International) Psychic by Dominic Giam of Ketsa Music (licensed under a commercial non-exclusive license by the Massachusetts Historical Society through Ketsa.uk) Curious Nature by Dominic Giam of Ketsa Music (licensed under a commercial non-exclusive license by the Massachusetts Historical Society through Ketsa.uk)