Fairview Cemetery Commission

Members

• Susan Maxwell, Chairwoman
  Term Expires: September 1, 2026
• Linda A. Couture
  Term Expires: February 1, 2024
• Virginia Robak
  Term Expires: January 1, 2026
  
  

Responsibilities

The Fairview Cemetery Commission has charge and control over 3 public cemeteries owned by the city and makes regulations relative to the care and use of the cemeteries as they deem necessary.  Two are inactive and are considered historic.  The care and maintenance of the cemeteries are under the care and maintenance of the Chicopee Parks Department.

Cemeteries

East Street Cemetery: Located on East Street and first constructed in 1825, this consisted at first of an oblong of land on Broadway St, leased by Benjamin Belcher to Boston and Springfield.  On August 19, 1847 Belcher leased land on the east side to the Chicopee Mfg. Co. in exchange for a strip on the north side released to him by them.  Further additions of land in 1847 by lease and 1857 by purchase made the cemetery the size it is today extending form Broadway to East Street. 

• East Street is the second oldest cemetery in the city
• The cemetery dates back to when the Chicopee Falls area was known as Chicopee Factory Village
• The burial ground became the final resting place of the Belchers, Taylors, Fays, Cadwells, Richardson and Mitchell Paul (who was a participant in the Canadian Rebellion of 1837)
• By action of the Board of Aldermen on April 3, 1973, the City of Chicopee voted to accept responsibility for the care and maintenance of the cemetery, and the Trustees of the Cemetery Association conveyed to the City all their right, title and interest in the cemetery grounds.
  
  

Maple Grove Cemetery: With approximately 750 stones the cemetery is located at 45 Auburn Street.  Originally called the Cabotville Burying Ground,  it was established in 1836.

• Originally it had one and a half acres of land and it was deeded by the Springfield Canal Company to Fletcher, Leavitt, and Austin Chapin 2nd, intrust for the sum of $450.00
• The cemetery's first president was Silar Mosman, a blacksmith, and owner of several Grape St. properties 
• The burial ground became the final resting place of Cabotville's fist families including Chases, Ames, McClallans, Bemises and Mosmans.
• Due to overcrowding, the New Cemetery was established

Fairview Cemetery:  Located off of Abbey Memorial Drive, it has cemetery lots for sale and accepts burials for residents and non-residents. 

• Originally known as the New Cemetery the land (25 acres) was purchased by the town appointed cemetery commission in 1869 from the Bemis, Van Horn, Paine and Conway families.
• The first superintendent was a Lafayette Temple
•  In 1890, an ordinance declared the name change of the  New Cemetery to be called the Fairview Cemetery. 
• In 1895, George M. Steams, a well known Chicopee lawyer donated $3,000 to build a gateway that later in the year was designed by the internationally known sculptor and bronze caster, Melzar Mosman.
• The burial ground became the last resting place of Chicopee's leading families including the Chapins, Spauldings, Gaylords, Rumrills, and Stearns.

Fees, Policies, Rules and Regulations

All of this information can be found under "Documents & Forms" to the right.

City Ordinances

Relevant city ordinances that apply to Chicopee city ordinances can be found in Chapter 129, Section 1-9.