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
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Funeral Services For Henry W. Dean-This Day In Norwood History-January 14, 1923
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Lewis Day Passes Away-This Day In Norwood History-March 3, 1910
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Free Mortuary Chapel Erected by Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Day in a Norwood Cemetery To Be Consecrated Tomorrow-This Day In Norwood History-May 29, 1903
May 29, 1903—Tomorrow morning there will be formally consecrated in Highland Cemetery the mortuary chapel of St Gabriel the Archangel, erected to their parents by Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Day.
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St Gabriel’s Chapel To Be Consecrated Tomorrow-This Day In Norwood History-May 29, 1903
Highland Cemetery prepares to welcome its very first mortuary chapel. A magnificent gift from Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Day, the newly built Chapel of St. Gabriel the Archangel stands ready for its formal consecration as a beautifully crafted, non-sectarian haven open to all families across the community
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