Laurel Hill Cemetery

While not strictly a trail, this beautiful cemetery offers plenty of peaceful paths for walkers to stroll along while they get a glimpse of the final resting place for many of Saco's historic families. Walkers are asked to please park ONLY in the parking lot adjacent to the chapel as shown on the map. Roller blading and bicycling are prohibited. Pets are not permitted.

Click to enlarge Directions to cemetery: From downtown Saco, travel north on Main Street. Turn right on Beach Street. Travel about 1 mile before turning right into the cemetery. The cemetery is open from sunrise to sunset. Pets are NOT permitted. Length: Varies, depending on route. Estimated walking time: Varies.

This Saco cemetery is, of course, a remarkable source of information about Saco residents, both well known and humble. It is also on a most beautiful site, high on a hill overlooking the river. In the spring, when jonquils and daffodils are in bloom on the banking that commands the river view, it is unmatchable. At any time of year it spells Òpeace.Ó

The route through the cemetery is not designed to be definitive, but it does follow some old and major routes that pass the graves of some of Saco's best known Òfounding fathers and mothers.Ó The identifications given here only begin to set these persons in Saco history. For further information about each, consult Saco's several histories, Folsom (l830), Locke (l880), Owen (l891), Fairfield (l956 and l988); Downs (l985); Scontras (l994).



Left Side of Diagram

Col. Seth Spring (1754 - 1830) At battle of Bunker Hill; local entrepreneur; owned and operated Spring's Tavern which is the house that became the office of Deering Lumber Yard.

John Haley (1840-1921) Civil War veteran; wrote diary during war (edited and published by Ruth Silliker); Librarian of Saco's Dyer Library for 28 years.

Lucia Kimball Deering (1855 - 1916) Philanthropic benefactor of Saco; left money for a Saco hospital to be named ÒKimball HospitalÓ for her father, Dr. John Eli Kimball (1819 - 1892). The bequest accumulated for half a century, became controversial; finally put into the Kimball Health Center on Lincoln Street. For extensive reference to family, see F. C. Deering's Index in reprinted publication of Folsom.

Mary Kimball Bradbury (1882 - 1966) First woman lawyer in Saco, one of first in Maine. Active in city politics; buried on same lot as her father, James Otis Bradbury, mayor of Saco.

Samuel Craig, (1863 - 1929) Not from Saco, but married a local woman. Received the Medal of Honor for role in the Indian War, 1st Sarg. Co. D, 4th US Cav.

Thornton Family Plot

Thomas Gilbert Thornton (1769 - 1824) Physician and businessman, benefactor to Thornton Academy, for whom the school is named. Also, on the plot is Col. Thomas Cutts (1736 - 1821) entrepreneur, industrialist and early leader in the development of Saco. Built Cutts mansion on Cutts Island (also called Indian Island, Factory Island and Saco Island.) The house has since been dismantled and two of the three stories reassembled on Glen Haven Circle. Col. Cutts' daughter married Thomas Gilbert Thornton, hence the reason he is buried here. John Wingate Thornton (l8l8-l878) Harvard grad; lawyer, commentary on Saco history in his copy of Folsom at Dyer Library.

Joseph Leland - (1773 - 1839) Served in the Battle of Bunker Hill; Senator from the District of Maine before it was a state; engaged in lumber and retail business; built Thornton Hall, still standing at 331 Main Street. His wife was sister to Maine's 1st Governor, William King.

Cornelius Sweetser (1808 - 1881) Entrepreneur; industrialist; philanthropist. Left Saco large bequests to establish social, cultural, and educational programs; bequeathed money for an orphanage which later became Sweetser Children Services.

Deering Family Plot

J.G. Deering (1816 - 1892) Founder of the Deering dynasty; local merchant, lumberman, banker, entrepreneur; in 1870 built the building which Dyer Library now occupies.

Frank Cutter Deering (1866 - 1939) Son of J.G.; followed in his father's footsteps; boasted that he had little formal education; became a book collector of captivity tales, a book reconstructionist. Note what the plaque says about his special interests. See the Lord Scrapbook Index in Dyer's Maine History Room.

Joseph Godfrey Deering (1894 - 1987) Grandson of J.G and son of F.C.; followed family in banking, lumbering and entrepreneurial activities; served on many boards including Dyer Library and York Institute; donated gifts include land for Ferry Beach State Park, the first land donation for the Great Saco Heath Preserve, and the Dyer Library building.

Garland Family Plot

James G. Garland (1827 - 1909) Founded a loom picker company which eventually became Garland Manufacturing Company. In neighboring graves are other family members who carried on the family business.



Right Side of Diagram

Charles Granger (1812 - 1893) Artist, poet and musician. Many of his paintings are in the York Museum. His biography On Butterfly Wings presents a vivid account of his life.

Robert Moody (1930 - 1982) Principal of Saco schools; started adult education in Saco; owned family landscape nursery business; auditorium in Fairfield School name for him.

Oliver (1806 - 1872) and Olive (1811 - 1879) Dyer - Oliver was a mayor of Saco, businessman and farmer. His wife Olive bequeathed money for Dyer Library in memory of Oliver.

John Fairfield (1797 - 1847) - Maine Congressman (1835 - 1838); Governor of Maine (1839 - 1843) Senator from Maine (1843 until his death) For more details see his volume of letters and Sallie Huot's Masters Thesis prepared for the University of Southern Maine. Both books are in the Maine History Room at Dyer. Also in this plot is his daughter Sarah F. Hamilton, force behind E & I Union, which established Saco's first kindergarten and vocational education. Sarah worked for women's suffrage and was an acquaintance of Susan B. Anthony.

Cyrus King (1773-1817) Built house, now rectory at Most Holy Trinity; lawyer and spokesman for Federalist Party; Congressman from District of Maine. Brother Rufus was minister to the Court of St. James. Brother William was Maine's 1st governor.

Clementine Kendrick Burns (l852-l922) Benefactor for whom C.K. Burns School was named. In neighboring grave: Col. Frank Kendrick who died in New Orleans toward the end of the Civil War.

Amos Chase (1718 - 1818) Often known as Deacon; an important force in moving the First Parish church from the old building on the Old Pool Road (currently owned by the Biddeford Historical Society) to the Saco side and instrumental in getting John Fairfield as the first pastor in Saco (1762), in a building which set where the abandoned Jordan School (now Adult Center) exists at the end of School Street. Large land holder in Camp Ellis-Ferry Beach area, among heaviest of Saco's taxpayers. Ran ferry across the river.

Hill Family Plot

Three generations of respected Saco physicians and community leaders: Dr. Hampton Hill, Dr. Paul Hill, and Dr. Paul Hill, Jr., benefactor of Thornton Academy sports complex.

John Locke (1836 - 1906) Writer; publisher, historian; also superintendent of schools without ever attending college! Philanthropy includes a building at Thornton and many artifacts and papers in possession of Dyer Library Association.

Theodore Young (1854 - 1930) - Well beloved Saco teacher and superintendent of schools. Young School is named for him.

Francis Warren Rice (1815 - 1888) Wrote for many newspapers, including Maine Palladium, Olive Branch (Boston paper concerned with social issues.) Established The Courier in San Francisco; Consul to Mexico & Panama; Owned store at Main on Pepperell Square.