HOPE CEMETERY
About
Hope Cemetery sits in the heart of downtown Kennebunk, steps away from Kennebunk Town Hall, The Brick Store Museum, and Kennebunk Free Library. Initially established as a small burying ground next to what is now the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, with its first burial in 1790, it is one of the most visible reminders of Kennebunk’s rich history. A beautiful, peaceful, serene setting for reflection and remembrance, Hope Cemetery’s 30 acres feature ancient copper beeches and other Silent Sentinels in its rural, garden-style setting.
Hope Cemetery has a database of all registered burials which may be helpful to those doing genealogical or historical research. In addition, a digital mapping project is underway to link burial information with the grave location.
Hope Woods, 75 acres of woods and meadows owned by Hope Cemetery, is home to diverse wildlife and contains 2 miles of walking trails, including a 0.8-mile Accessible Trail. In 2019, a conservation easement was placed on Hope Woods, preserving the property for future generations. Hope Cemetery owns the property, the easement is held by Kennebunk Land Trust, and Hope Woods are maintained and managed by Friends of Hope Cemetery & Woods.
Hope Cemetery is a private non-profit 501(c)(13) Cemetery Corporation and is not town supported. It is nondenominational. The Cemetery has gravesites available and the long-range plan includes expansion that will take into account the nationwide shift toward cremation.
The cemetery grounds are maintained by a small seasonal crew overseen by a full-time superintendent. In addition to supervising the grounds crew, the superintendent handles all aspects of sales of graves, coordinates burials with funeral directors, maintains all records, and manages outside contractors.
Hope Cemetery is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors, who meets multiple times per year. An annual meeting of the Hope Cemetery Corporation is open to all deed holders, family members, and the general public.
Board of Directors
Betsy T. Stevens, President
Louise Spang, Vice President
Gail Preble, Secretary
Tom Dobens, Treasurer
Charles C. Bassett
Gordon Collins
Pam Stone Eagleson
Tom Kasprzak
Betsy MacDonald
Donna Nedeau-Slattery
Steve Sawyer
Thomas F. Litchfield,
Superintendent
207-985-7846
hopecemetery@yahoo.com