The Trustees and Staff of the Lowell Cemetery congratulate fellow board member Brian Chapman on the receiving the Greater Lowell Community Foundation’s 2025 Steven Joncas Community Connector Award.

This award celebrates an individual who has made significant contributions to connecting and strengthening community networks throughout the Greater Lowell area. It is a well-deserved recognition of Brian’s outstanding service to our community. 

Since our story in the last Epitaph, a lot of progress has been made to the West Meadow burial site.

Roadwork

Once the overall area was refilled, leveled and seeded, it was followed by a great deal of work to complete the drainage and two roads. Our contractors, Emanouil Brothers, graded and paved the roads, not only giving definition to the site, but also creating two distinct areas within West Meadow.

And then, what to name the roads? Traditionally, the cemetery has used names for anything from flowers and trees (azalea, geranium, oak, maple) to family surnames (Bonney, Glidden, Rogers, Shedd). The Trustees were tasked with the answer. The first road — the one that runs up the middle of the area — was named West Meadow Avenue. “That one was easy,” said Trustee President, Alex Wilson. “It not only defines the entire area, but also complements East Meadow Avenue directly across the way.” The second road, which arcs across the top of the site, was not as easy. After many suggestions and discussions, it was voted to name it Wannalancit, after the 17th-century chief of the Penacook nation who had a fort built nearby in an area now known as Fort Hill. In the spirit of inclusion and transparency, the Trustees respectfully reached out to the Greater Lowell Indian Cultural Association (GLICA) to inform them of its choice and to request the correct spelling of Wannalancit (varied spellings).

Association Chief Tom Eagle Rising Libby responded that the GLICA unanimously supported the Cemetery’s intent to name the road after the famous “sachem.” He also informed us “the most common spelling of the name among the native community is Wonalancet.”

“Pinning” the Site



The grounds crew has been diligently watering the seeded areas to get the grass to catch and grow. “The weather has not cooperated,” said Cemetery Superintendent Seth Durno. “It’s important we get the grass to fully come in so we can begin to lay out the individual graves in preparation for their eventual sale.”

The layout of each of the almost-900 graves, known as “pinning,” requires that every one is plotted and marked by placing “pins” in the ground. This allows the cemetery staff to define and ultimately locate each one. Although the pinning process will be undertaken by cemetery planners, Grever & Ward, of Orchard Park, NY, that work cannot happen until the grass in the area can be mowed two times. Why two mows? According to Superintendent Durno, “ the grass needs to establish itself and settle before the pins are installed. If not, they may sink and disappear into the ground."

Richard P. Howe Jr. is a Lowell Cemetery Trustee and has served as the official tour guide of the Lowell Cemetery since 2012. Each spring and fall, large crowds gather for weekend walks through the Cemetery as Dick talks about individuals, monuments, and Lowell history within regional and national contexts, with some amazing connections to topics like the invention of the telephone number, a first-hand account of the death of President Lincoln, a 20th century presidential campaign, and patent medicines. 

The Lowell Cemetery Trustees are pleased to announce that Dick has narrated and produced 12 videos about some of our most notable monuments. The links are available on our website at www.lowellcemetery.com/explore-visit/notable-monuments. 

We hope you enjoy them.