The Metfern Cemetery is a 2/3 acre rural cemetery located in a wooded area in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Patients from the Metropolitan State Hospital and the Fernald School are buried here.
Although the cemetery is adjacent to the Gaebler Children's Center, there are apparently no patients from there.
The Metfern Cemetery was in active operation between 1947 and 1979. From 1880 to 1946 the Mount Feake Cemetery was used at which the burials were not individually marked in any form.
There are twenty-eight rows of graves. The south sixteen rows were used for Protestant burials, the north twelve rows for Catholic burials. The graves are laid out with the head on the north side and the feet on the south side. Most of the graves are identified by numbered gravestones. A "P" prefix is used for Protestant, a "C" prefix is used for Catholic.
There are three different styles of gravestones:
In addition, there are four properly marked graves for Lisa Flannery, Cilia Quarantillo, John Vensky, Veronica Welch.
The inscriptions for the large concrete blocks and the concrete posts are oriented to be read when facing south, i.e. standing at the head of the grave. The inscriptions for the cinder blocks are oriented to be read when facing north, i.e. standing on the grave. There are exceptions to this, whether accidentally installed that way or subsequently moved is unknown.
Here is an index to Metfern Cemetery graves.
Here is the grave plot drawing in various formats.
Here are the directions to Metfern Cemetery.
Comments or questions may be entered on the Feedback Form.