The Burying Point
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Overview
The Rendezvous Point Burying Ground is a historic cemetery off Ferry Road in Saco, Maine. Probably established in 17th century, it is possibly the oldest surviving colonial cemetery in the state of Maine. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.
Practical Info
Every day10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration0.5-1 hour
Best TimeRecommended on weekday mornings at 9:00 AM between May and September. As one of the oldest charted burial grounds in the nation (1637), visiting early guarantees a quiet space to view the historic slate headstones carved with puritan iconography without the October tourist distractions.
Getting ThereLocated right behind the Witch Trials Memorial on Charter Street. From the Peabody Essex Museum, walk south across Central Street for 3 minutes to enter the cemetery gates. Drivers should use the nearby South Harbor Garage on Congress Street.
Travel Tips
- The narrow dirt trails lack artificial night lighting and slick mud forms quickly during rains; iron gates lock strictly at 17:00 (16:00 in winter), and scaling the fences post-closure is a criminal trespass offense.
- Per Massachusetts general laws, performing charcoal gravestone rubbings on fragile historic slate or sandstone markers is illegal; all domestic pets, excluding certified service animals, are strictly banned.
- The entrance features no vehicle drop-off zones and Charter Street enforces resident-only decals; avoid rapid 20-minute towing by navigating directly to the South Harbor Garage public structure.
Reviews
Positive
- As Salem's oldest cemetery, it perfectly preserves exquisitely carved 17th-century headstones, exuding a dense gothic historic aura that draws early American history buffs.
- The cemetery interior lays out clean gravel walking trails, and headstones of prominent Witch Trial judges feature durable and clear informative markers.
- The gatekeepers and historic preservation watch provide professional oversight, strictly capping entry headcounts to safeguard fragile antique graves.
- It charges absolutely zero admission, offering free access to the resting places of pre-revolutionary historical figures, delivering top-tier historical reward.
Heads up
- To prevent erosion and stone damage, most antique graves are cordoned off by ropes; visitors must stay on the gravel, making fine inscriptions hard to read.
- The grounds are fully uncommercialized; root growth makes paths highly uneven, there are no restrooms or bins, and wheelchair-accessible ramps are non-existent.
- During the October rush, the tiny cemetery draws hundreds of meters of queues; the strict entry limits cause hour-long waits with zero outdoor shade or weather shelters.
- Given its fame, the perimeter is plagued by loud witch-kitsch souvenir peddlers and ghost-tour barkers, whose commercial noise bleeds into the quiet sanctuary.