Fig Giving Back: Historic Easton Cemetery

When passing through the Historic Easton Cemetery’s iconic Seventh Street gates, a sense of peace settles over the landscape, welcoming visitors to explore 84 lush acres of rolling hills. While it is a space for grieving, it is also a place to celebrate life—to pause, unwind, and be present.

First opened in 1849, Historic Easton Cemetery was designed to emulate a park. Today, it remains an active cemetery, Easton’s largest green space, and a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds are rich with history, from Victorian gravestones carved as angels and obelisks to the stories of notable figures buried there, including Declaration of Independence signer George Taylor.

“I come to life when I walk through these gates each morning,” said Keith Lampman-Perlman, executive director. “Here, we celebrate all that this space was created to be: a place that brings community together.”

Open daily to visitors, the grounds also serve as a sculpture garden, arboretum, and popular destination for walking dogs. Book clubs, walking tours, yoga classes, and an annual 5K create opportunities for community connection.

The cemetery is a nonprofit, relying on donations to sustain its 1.9 miles of paved roads and outdoor spaces, which cost over $250,000 per year to maintain. It’s supported by Friends of Historic Easton Cemetery, a foundation dedicated to preserving, protecting, and promoting the cemetery for future generations, along with volunteers and local partners. Long-term goals include restoration of the mausoleum, the chapel, the caretaker’s cottage, a small funerary museum, and an endowment.

Keith enjoys offering personal guided tours and sharing the stories that make Historic Easton Cemetery so special. To learn more or get involved, visit thehistoriceastoncemetery.org or email klp@thehistoriceastoncemetery.org.

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