Earlier this spring, Joe Flanagan, Director of the Dedham DPW, and Project Manager, began the remedial process of removing dead trees, and trimming vegetation. Two large Hemlocks that had overgrown the Howe gravesite along Village Avenue were removed so that the lot’s ironwork and masonry can be restored. Soon Joe will begin to implement a detailed landscape design by the Halvorson Design Partnership team, led by Ricardo Austrich, ASLA, and Associate Vesna Maneva. Halvorson has taken care to respect the crucial elements of an early New England burial ground, while understanding its role in the modern era. The priority, this year, will be “Improvement Zone One”(IZ1), the area along Village Avenue from St. Paul’s Church to the NE corner of the Cemetery.
Improvements and new features will include wall repair and repointing (Take note of the newly repaired and reinstalled iron gates at the main entrance), new ornamental and shade tree planting (If you would like to sponsor a mature tree, including a plaque with your name, please get in touch with us), continuing monument and obelisk repair, and interpretive signage to help direct visitors. IZ1 also calls for the installation of ornamental chain to connect the granite posts that separate the Cemetery and St. Paul’s, with special attention to the area abutting the Church’s new children’s playground.
photo above: Newly repaired and reinstalled iron gates at the main entrance of the Old Village Cemetery
Dedham Village Preservation Association 