Valley Cemetery
Encyclopedia
The Valley Cemetery is a public cemetery
located in Manchester, New Hampshire
, USA. It is bounded on the east by Pine Street, on the north by Auburn Street, on the west by Willow Street, and on the south by Valley Street, from which it derives its name.
It came into existence in 1840, when the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land in downtown Manchester to the city for the purpose of creating a public burial ground.
In 1841, the city created the Valley Street Cemetery. It was designed as a "garden cemetery", meant to be a place where the public could stroll along its walkways, carriage paths and bridges. In this Victorian Era
, "garden cemeteries", in which not only the dead resided, but the living communed with each other and with nature, were popular.
By the late 1850s, the cemetery was nearly filled, and the much larger Pine Grove Cemetery was created. That cemetery lies to the west of Calef Road and to the east of the Merrimack River
.
A receiving tomb was built at Valley Cemetery in 1888, used to store the deceased during winter when the ground was frozen. In 1907, Mrs. Hannah Currier donated gates at Auburn and Chestnut Streets in honor of her late husband, New Hampshire
Governor Moody Currier
.
A chapel in the English Gothic style was completed in 1932, replacing a wooden chapel that stood at the same site. The stone structure is now in bad repair and has been closed for many years. There are 13 private mausoleums in the cemetery.
In 2002, the interest of Southern New Hampshire University
's Education Continuum spurred the creation of Friends of the Valley Cemetery, a non-profit community organization dedicated to raising funds for, and overseeing the future restoration of, the cemetery.
The group has partnered with city
officials to coordinate maintenance efforts and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for future restoration. A master plan has been written that will guide future restoration of the cemetery.
The Currier Gate was restored in 2004.
Since 2003, Friends of the Valley Cemetery has hosted an annual strawberry
festival in the cemetery, emphasizing its previous heritage as a "garden cemetery" that exists to be enjoyed by residents.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
located in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, USA. It is bounded on the east by Pine Street, on the north by Auburn Street, on the west by Willow Street, and on the south by Valley Street, from which it derives its name.
It came into existence in 1840, when the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
Amoskeag Manufacturing Company
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was a textile manufacturer which founded Manchester, New Hampshire. From modest beginnings in near wilderness, it grew throughout the 19th century into the largest cotton textile plant in the world. At its peak, Amoskeag was unrivaled both for the quality and...
donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land in downtown Manchester to the city for the purpose of creating a public burial ground.
In 1841, the city created the Valley Street Cemetery. It was designed as a "garden cemetery", meant to be a place where the public could stroll along its walkways, carriage paths and bridges. In this Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
, "garden cemeteries", in which not only the dead resided, but the living communed with each other and with nature, were popular.
By the late 1850s, the cemetery was nearly filled, and the much larger Pine Grove Cemetery was created. That cemetery lies to the west of Calef Road and to the east of the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
.
A receiving tomb was built at Valley Cemetery in 1888, used to store the deceased during winter when the ground was frozen. In 1907, Mrs. Hannah Currier donated gates at Auburn and Chestnut Streets in honor of her late husband, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
Governor Moody Currier
Moody Currier
Moody Currier was a lawyer, banker, generous patron of the arts, and Republican politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. Born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, USA, he served New Hampshire in the state’s Senate and on the Governor’s Council. Currier served as a fellow at Bates College from 1882 to 1889...
.
A chapel in the English Gothic style was completed in 1932, replacing a wooden chapel that stood at the same site. The stone structure is now in bad repair and has been closed for many years. There are 13 private mausoleums in the cemetery.
Prominent burials
Many of the city's leaders have been buried at Valley Cemetery, including:- Manchester Mayors Jacob F. James, Warren L. Lane, Alonzo Smith, David A. Bunton, Darwin J. Daniels, Joseph B. Clark, David B. Varney and William C. Clarke *http://www.manchesternh.gov/CityGov/PKS/Cemeteries/ValleyStreet.html
- Governor Frederick SmythFrederick Smyth (New Hampshire)Frederick Smyth was a banker, railroad executive, and politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. Born in 1819 in Candia, New Hampshire, he became City Clerk of Manchester at the age of 30...
(1819–1899)- whose imposing tomb is one of the jewels of the cemetery - Governor Moody CurrierMoody CurrierMoody Currier was a lawyer, banker, generous patron of the arts, and Republican politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. Born in Boscawen, New Hampshire, USA, he served New Hampshire in the state’s Senate and on the Governor’s Council. Currier served as a fellow at Bates College from 1882 to 1889...
(1806–1898 - CongressmanUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
Ira Allen Eastman (1809–1881) - Senator Daniel ClarkDaniel Clark (New Hampshire)Daniel Clark was an American politician who served in the New Hampshire legislature and the United States Senate....
(1809–1891) - Anti-Slavery campaigner Rev. Andrew Foss
- Aretas BloodAretas BloodAretas Blood played an important role in the manufacture of early American railroad steam locomotives.Blood was born in Weathersfield, Vermont. At the age of 17, as railroads began to be built in the United States, he was apprenticed as a blacksmith...
(1816–1897) - owner of the Amoskeag Locomotive WorksAmoskeag Locomotive WorksThe Amoskeag Locomotive Works, located in Manchester, New Hampshire, built steam locomotives at the dawn of the railroad era in the United States....
, and his wife Lavinia Kendall Blood, founder of the Manchester Women's Aid and Relief Society in 1875 - Gov. Ezekiel A. StrawEzekiel A. StrawEzekiel Albert Straw , was an engineer, businessman, and politician from Manchester, New Hampshire. He was born in Salisbury, but moved with his family to Lowell, Massachusetts, where his father, James B. Straw, was employed at the Appleton Manufacturing Company. Ezekiel A...
(1819–1882) - an engineer for the Amoskeag Manufacturing CompanyAmoskeag Manufacturing CompanyThe Amoskeag Manufacturing Company was a textile manufacturer which founded Manchester, New Hampshire. From modest beginnings in near wilderness, it grew throughout the 19th century into the largest cotton textile plant in the world. At its peak, Amoskeag was unrivaled both for the quality and...
who laid out the street grid for the city of ManchesterManchester, New HampshireManchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which... - Brigadier generalBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Joseph Carter AbbottJoseph Carter AbbottJoseph Carter Abbott was a Union Army colonel during the American Civil War who was awarded the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers and a Republican United States Senator from the state of North Carolina between 1868 and 1871. During his career in private life he was a lawyer,...
- A UnionUnion (American Civil War)During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
veteran of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
who remained in the American South following the war and was active in local politics there. He was elected as the RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor of North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Restoration efforts
By the end of the 20th century, the cemetery was recognized by many to be in serious decline, and its heritage as a garden cemetery had long since been forgotten by most.In 2002, the interest of Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private university in Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and also has numerous specialized...
's Education Continuum spurred the creation of Friends of the Valley Cemetery, a non-profit community organization dedicated to raising funds for, and overseeing the future restoration of, the cemetery.
The group has partnered with city
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
officials to coordinate maintenance efforts and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for future restoration. A master plan has been written that will guide future restoration of the cemetery.
The Currier Gate was restored in 2004.
Since 2003, Friends of the Valley Cemetery has hosted an annual strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
festival in the cemetery, emphasizing its previous heritage as a "garden cemetery" that exists to be enjoyed by residents.