Spirits Alive at the Eastern Cemetery

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Spirits Alive at the Eastern Cemetery We love the Eastern Cemetery in Portland, Maine. 1667-1858
Gates open Memorial Day to mid-October

Spirits Alive is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of Portland’s historic Eastern Cemetery (1668-1858) through a range of activities including promotion and education.

Meet the spirits when they walk 10/15-18 & 22-25. Tickets on our website.
10/14/2026

Meet the spirits when they walk 10/15-18 & 22-25. Tickets on our website.

10/14/2026

More than 350 years of Portland Maine history rest on the slopes of Munjoy Hill. Established in 1668, Portland’s Eastern Cemetery is the city’s oldest public burial ground and the final resting place of an estimated 7,000 people — including ship captains, Revolutionary War veterans, political leaders, members of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s family, and Black abolitionist Reuben Ruby.

The cemetery also witnessed history beyond its gates. Local militia mustered here in 1775 before marching to Cambridge to join George Washington’s forces, while generations of Portland residents were laid to rest in sections that reflected the social and religious divisions of their time.

Today, Spirits Alive helps preserve this remarkable historic landscape through conservation, walking tours, and special programs that bring the stories of those buried here back to life.

Selected as one of the 250 Maine Icons of the Maine Atlas 250 project, Eastern Cemetery offers a fascinating window into more than three centuries of Portland history.
https://www.maine.gov/sos/maineatlas/explore-the-atlas/eastern-cemetery

Tour cancelled on Tuesday, 10/13 due to rain. Scheduled tours continue on Wednesday, and we've added one on Thursday. ...
10/13/2026

Tour cancelled on Tuesday, 10/13 due to rain. Scheduled tours continue on Wednesday, and we've added one on Thursday.

More memories from last year's . The spirits walk again starting Thursday. Tickets on our website.
10/13/2026

More memories from last year's . The spirits walk again starting Thursday.
Tickets on our website.

Last year on the250th anniversary, we dramatized the story of the burning of Falmouth. This year, it's Burial Ground Bl...
10/10/2026

Last year on the250th anniversary, we dramatized the story of the burning of Falmouth. This year, it's Burial Ground Blues, Misfortunes, Mayhem, and Other Grave Matters. Walk Among the Shadows begins on October 15. Tickets available on our website, or pay at the gate.

10/05/2026

Unusual gravestone.

Address

224 Congress Street
Portland, ME
04101

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