About
Spirits Alive was formed in 2006 when folks decided to organize around their dedication to the preservation and beautification of one of the area's oldest public burial grounds, the Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine. It is comprised of a large group of volunteers as well as a all-volunteer board of directors.
Our Mission
Spirits Alive is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Portland’s historic Eastern Cemetery through a range of activities including promotion and education.
About the Eastern Cemetery
Established in 1668, the Eastern Cemetery is located at 224 Congress Street in Portland, Maine. The oldest historic landscape in the city, the cemetery is home to around 7,000 interred (Romano). The gates are normally open by the city's park rangers from Memorial Day to Labor Day (late morning until late afternoon).
Maps
An 1890 map and survey of the cemetery was done by William A. Goodwin. In 1990, this survey was updated by historian William Jordan, and another map was created.
Download both versions of the cemetery maps (2.9MB PDF file) Note: This link will take you to the City of Portland, Maine's website.
Master Plan
This plan was funded by funds from several grants and passed by the city council in 2012.
Master Plan for Eastern Cemetery, City of Portland, Maine (27MB, 170-page PDF)
Wikipedia
We have updated the entry for Eastern Cemetery. Let us know if anything doesn't look correct.
Flickr (photo archive)
Over 14,000 images have been tagged and organized on our account so far: Spirits Alive on Flickr
Spirits Alive Has a Few Special Projects
Our group is directed by a small board and supported by numerous volunteers and Friends who plan and conduct a series of events every year. These events help us support the ongoing maintenance of and special projects at the cemetery.
- We have conserved, cleaned, righted, and preserved 100s of the stone markers in Eastern Cemetery through our work with skilled grave stone conservators, training from the Association for Gravestone Studies, and hands-on learning with the labor of 100s of volunteers over the years.
- We perform gardening and maintenance tasks on volunteer workdays including planting trees, bushes, and stopping the erosion on the back slope with tall grasses.
- We contracted with Chicora Foundation to create a preservation plan which will help guide restoration, educational, and advocacy efforts for years to come. This Master Plan was adopted by the city of Portland in 2012.
- We funded the purchase of slate section markers to aid in wayfinding, using a local stone carver.
- We funded the repair of the Congress Street fence pickets and gate locks through the city of Portland who contracted with Maine-based StandFast Works Forge to complete the work.
- After advocating with the city, funds were set aside to restore the Victorian Tool Shed aka “Dead House ” which began in July 2014.
- We funded the placement of 2 granite benches for the benefit of visitors who need to rest their feet and enjoy the sights.
- We have completed the recording phase of the Stone Survey where we transcribed the information of and about the each stone in the cemetery on paper. We are continuing the project with our Stone Photography Project.
- We, in partnership with a local playwright and actors, put on the Walk Among the Shadows event that brings 1,000 people through the gates on spooky evenings in October. It's our largest fundraising event.
Spirits Alive is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Please address written correspondence to:
Spirits Alive
PO Box 18209
Portland, Maine 04112-8209