Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery
a civic-minded group in Salem, Massachusetts
Preserving the Past: A Milestone for the 1894 Dickson Memorial Chapel
Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery, Inc. has some exciting news to share!
It has been an exciting week for the Dickson Memorial Chapel. For nearly 14 years, Friends of Greenlawn has been advocating for the restoration of the historic 1894 chapel, located within Greenlawn Cemetery and the F. Carroll Sargent Arboretum.
On Thursday evening, the Salem City Council voted unanimously to approve a significant portion of the final funding needed for the exterior restoration of the chapel. These funds, approved through CPA and CIP, bring the project to approximately 99% funded.
The Salem Cemetery Commission and the Salem Board of Trustees will next consider approval of $124,000 for the vestibule restoration, which will complete the exterior work.
Restoration is expected to begin on the east side of the chapel in May, possibly sooner. (See photo below.)
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mayor Dominick Pangallo, the Salem Planning and Community Development Department, especially Patricia Kelleher and Tom Daniel, the Salem City Council, the Salem Community Preservation Committee, the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Salem Cemetery Commission, the entire Salem community and beyond, and a very special thank you to the dedicated “Golden Crew” of Friends of Greenlawn.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible. Your support and dedication continue to make a meaningful difference.
More people make bigger and better things happen.
Working together, we are making a difference.
Thank you for your continued support,
Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery, Inc.
Help Us Track What’s in Bloom 🌸
Help our Research Team Find Tagged Trees and Shrubs in Flower in the F. Carroll Argent Arboretum at Greenlawn Cemetery
We’re inviting our community to help identify tagged trees and shrubs currently in flower throughout the F. Carroll Argent Arboretum at Greenlawn Cemetery.
It’s simple, flexible, and can be done on your own time. Take a walk, enjoy the grounds, and keep an eye out for anything in bloom along the way.
👉 Submit your observations here
The information collected will support ongoing research and help us better understand the arboretum’s plant collections, seasonal bloom patterns, climate influences, and unique microclimates within the landscape.
Special thanks to Dr. Lisa Delissio and Aiden Muise of Salem State University for developing this tool and supporting this initiative.
Thank you for being part of this effort and helping us care for Greenlawn 🌿
Celebrating Preservation Month —Come See The Newly Restored Stained Glass Windows
Please join us for a huge preservation month celebration in the 1894 Dickson Memorial Chapel
When: Saturday, May 18th, 2024 — 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Dickson Memorial Chapel, Greenlawn Cemetery
We will be celebrating and showing off the restored stained glass windows, 130 year of the dedication of the chapel to the city of Salem and 4 years of Salem having an accredited arboretum, the F. Carroll Sargent Arboretum at Greenlawn Cemetery.
Did you know Salem has the first publicly owned accredited arboretum/cemetery in the state? Did you know there is a crabapple tree collection in Greenlawn? Did you know over 130 different birds have been seen in Greenlawn? Did you know there are over 1000 bulbs planted in the conservatory garden? Did you know your CPA money helped restore the stained glass windows along with a state grant and funds from the Friends?
Please come see and support this local gem and treasure in Salem. Everyone working together is making a difference. More people make bigger and better things happen.
Thank you for your support,
The Friends of Greenlawn.
We are a group of volunteers who are working to restore, beautify and maintain Greenlawn Cemetery now and in the future through grants, funding and public awareness.
Find a Grave
For a Greenlawn cemetery gravesite by name of deceased
The City of Salem has contracted with an online records management service for a central database for burial information for Greenlawn Cemetery.
Search burial record + by first and last name
Enter the following in the entry areas:
State: Massachusetts
Location: Salem
Cemetery: Greenlawn
EXAMPLE ENTRY
Last Name: Stroyer
First Name: Jacob
Click On: Search
FIND DETAILS + LOCATION
The search results will show details of the grave location and burial date plus a map of the cemetery with the lot locations. can be seen in the Greenlawn Cemetery office, which is generally open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM-Noon. The office is located about halfway down Orne Street inside the cemetery’s side gates. Small cemetery maps (without lot numbers) are available outside the office at the information board.
You may be able to find additional information using the search parameters of another online source: www.FindAGrave.com In the Rev. Stroyer’s case, at FindAGrave, you will also see the date of his death: 2/07/1908 and a brief biography of his remarkable life as a slave freed through the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War and his connections with Salem. The information in this source is provided by volunteers.
Greenlawn Cemetery Office | Orne Street, Salem. MA | Open Monday – Friday 8:00 AM-Noon.
TLC and Beauty at Greenlawn
There is some tlc and beauty going on in Greenlawn today! The conservatory doors and eye windows on the 1894 Dickson Memorial Chapel will soon be the original color, essex green.
Fingers crossed the weather holds out so the work can be completed before May 18th. We will keep you posted. Those lilacs smell amazing! I hope you get in a walk or drive in Greenlawn today.
All fundraising goes toward the restoration of the chapel. We are currently fundraising for the restoration of two stained glass windows by the front door of the Chapel. www.friendsofgreenlawn.org
We are making a difference all working together. Thank you for your support.
Thank you for coming out to our Ancestry Day event
It turned out to be a sunny day at Greenlawn. Thank you to everyone that made our Ancestry Days event, Finding Ancestors & Heritage Trees in Greenlawn a big success. It was so nice to meet and see so many fans.
We hope you enjoyed viewing the Chapel and finding loved ones and heritage trees in Greenlawn.
Save the date – May 18th – to celebrate the Dickson Memorial Chapel conservatory side completion, the one year anniversary of the accreditation of the F. Carroll Sargent Arboretum at Greenlawn Cemetery and 127 years ago the Chapel was given to the City of Salem.
We will share more as we know the timing. It’s so nice to see this beautiful historic, treasure and gem in Salem getting noticed, cared for and loved. Thank you again for your support!
Congratulations Charlie
Congratulations Charlie! One of our favorite FOG people! Thank you for all you do for Salem and the community, especially Greenlawn Cemetery.
Charlie Lipson, who does so much for Greenlawn, is this week’s Destination Salem, Massachusetts Tourism Star for #TourismStarTuesday in honor of his work with Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
Congratulations Charlie! Well deserved!
Finding Ancestors & Heritage Trees in Greenlawn
We invite you to join us on Saturday, May 1st at 10 AM for Finding Ancestors + Heritage Trees in Greenlawn.
Join us on Saturday, May 1st as we will share how to find loved ones buried in Greenlawn as well as some heritage trees in the F. Carroll Sargent Arboretum at Greenlawn Cemetery.
We will share the 1894 Dickson Memorial Chapel and the 800 plus bulbs in the Conservatory Garden. You will find us at the Orne Street side gate. We will be selling tee shirts, ball caps and more. Please park on Orne street or the surrounding neighborhood streets.
This event is free.
Donation are suggested as we are fundraising to restore two more stained glass windows of the chapel.
Please reach out to friendsofgreenlawn@gmail.com with any questions.
Masks are required and all current protocols will be followed. Rain date is May 2nd.
FOG Cold Weather Gear Is In
Look what was picked up yesterday! Hoodies, long sleeve t-shirts have arrived just in time for the cold weather. We also have short sleeve tees and ball caps!
With the holidays around the corner, FOG gear makes the perfect gift for you or a loved one. Help save the Dickson Memorial Chapel and Greenlawn Cemetery.
Pick up your ordered FOG gear and buy more this Saturday, November 7th 9:30am – 12:30pm at the side Orne Street gate.
It’s going to be a gorgeous day, we hope to see you there.
Updated Cemetery Map
Map last updated on 01/05/21
This is the free Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery map that we put out by the cemetery office. It has been put up here so others can share, see and use it during this non contact time. It was recently redone to make it easier to donate. If you open your PayPal app and take a picture of the QR code it will bring you directly to the Friends of Greenlawn donation page. We are currently fundraising for Phase II of the restoration of the Dickson Memorial Chapel. We are fully restoring the two right side stained glass windows and wood trim by the front door. We only need $15,000.00 to complete this project!
Thank you for your support!
Friends of Greenlawn Cemetery 