Highland Cemetery Nearing Full Capacity, DPW Superintendent Warns-October 27, 1993

Superintendent Joseph Welch Warns Cemetery Will Be Full in Three Years

The town-owned Highland Cemetery is rapidly running out of available burial space, with Public Works Superintendent Joseph Welch warning the Board of Selectmen last night that the grounds will be completely full within three years. Welch emphasized that the town can no longer delay funding solutions: “Since 1988, I’ve been asking to set aside money for cemetery expansion. It just hasn’t been there.”

Welch announced plans to request approximately $60,000 at the upcoming annual town meeting in the spring to finance expansion efforts. Located off Winter Street, Highland Cemetery has served as the final resting place for 17,107 individuals since its incorporation in 1880. In recent years, the town has averaged between 240 and 250 burials annually, reaching 252 burials over the past year.

Expansion Proposal Targets Veterans Road Section Amid Potential Neighbor Concerns

To address the impending shortage, Welch outlined a development plan to create 400 new burial lots on an undeveloped parcel along Veterans Road that has already been designated for cemetery use. While the plot directly borders eight residential properties, Welch minimized potential friction, remarking, “You couldn’t ask for better neighbors. I wouldn’t mind living there.”

Selectmen Chairman Gary Lee expressed reservations, predicting that nearby homeowners will object to expanding cemetery operations so close to their property lines. However, Selectman Thomas Riolo voiced strong support for the project, maintaining that expanding the cemetery is the best course of action for the town.

Current Inventory and Sales Restrictions

Although 97 percent of the cemetery’s total plots have already been sold, Welch noted that roughly half of those purchased lots remain physically unused, with some plots having sat vacant for up to 30 years. Currently, only 251 burial lots remain unsold:

• 144 lots contain two graves each.
• 87 lots contain up to four graves each.

Due to the severe shortage, selectmen receive purchase inquiries nearly every week, the vast majority of which are denied. Welch confirmed that he routinely recommends rejecting all new plot purchase requests to preserve remaining space for immediate municipal need.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger