Following Death: Cemetery Walk & Talk

New Englanders have always shown particular care for their dearly departed. Explore the burial customs, traditions, and superstitions around death in the region from colonial times through the 19th century with Dean Massey, an urban planning researcher at Northeastern University. Following Massey’s talk, a short walk to the Warner Cemetery will offer participants the opportunity to closely examine epitaphs and iconography up close, as well as engage in a thoughtful discussion about the rich diversity of New England’s remembrance practices.

Dean Massey lives in Providence, Rhode Island. He has strong ties to Connecticut: he grew up in a small town east of the river filled with historic cemeteries, studied at Connecticut College, and worked at the Connecticut General Assembly. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting house museums, tracking down gravestones by masters like Zerubbabel Collins, and hiking in the woods. He has visited every Connecticut Landmarks property, starting with the Nathan Hale Homestead as a child.