Cemeteries
Salem NH Cemeteries
The Town of Salem maintains five cemeteries
- Pine Grove Cemetery (327 Main Street)(see note)
- Salem Center Burying Ground at Salem Commons (304 Main Street)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery (97 East Broadway)(see note)
- Cemetery at Hale's Bridge (62 Atkinson Road)
- Spear Hill Cemetery (123 Brookdale Road)
(note) Pine Grove Cemetery and Mt. Pleasant Cemetery are the only two active burying grounds in town.
The operation of the Salem Cemeteries are directly supervised by the Municipal Services Department, through its Public Works Division, under the jurisdiction of the Board of Selectmen.
All inquiries concerning the purchase of graves, burials, maintenance and cemetery operations, should be directed to the Parks and Properties Section of Public Works or the main office of the Municipal Services Department during office hours.
Rules and Regulations
The adoption and enforcement of the rules and regulations are to secure peace and good order within the cemetery, to respect the memory of those interred, and to preserve the beauty of the grounds. All persons are expected to comply with and respect these rules which can be amended or altered by the Board of Selectmen as circumstances may require.
While the Town of Salem fully respects that the grieving process is personal in nature, in the interest of maintenance, aesthetics, and the safety of all, any items on or around lots which impede proper maintenance of the cemetery grounds and are potential hazards to all cemetery users will be removed.
Plantings
Planting of trees and shrubs is strictly prohibited, and the Public Works Division reserves the right to remove those found planted after the date of adoption or any amendment thereof of these rules and regulations without prior notification.
Plantings are limited to annual plants/flowers, or ornamental perennials placed in an area in front of a monument that is not more than twelve inches deep by the width of the monument. All perennials should be cut back and cleaned up prior to the end of the growing season and/or will be removed. The Town of Salem will not be responsible for damage or care for such flowers or plants. Sections 9 - 12, and cremation-only sections, will be monitored closely for any non-conformity.
Flowers
Funeral flowers, including flowers left or placed at the cemetery at other times, will be removed by Public Works when they become withered.
Decorations
Lot owners are expected to remove all seasonal decorations promptly starting ten days after a holiday or special occasion and may be subject to removal if they become unsightly
before the ten days are up. Anything deemed unsafe, offensive, controversial, political, or that compromises the enjoyment of peace and visitation, as determined by Public Works, may be removed immediately. Disputes in this regard will be taken up and mediated through the Municipal Services Director who may bring forth to the Board of Selectmen if they so choose.
Placement or construction on or around lots of items such as, but not necessarily limited to the following, are strictly prohibited:
- Glass or ceramic vases, boxes, figurines, picture frames, bottles, lanterns¨ Windmills, windsocks, chimes, and noise making devices
- Shepherds hooks or plant hangers
- Fencing of wood, brick, iron, wire, hedge, or other material
- Paths of brick, stone, gravel, or similar material.
Headstones
All headstones shall be made of good quality, structurally sound material, preferably granite, hard marble, or approved equal stone. No monument shall be permitted to be erected or set in the cemeteries without a good and sufficient foundation as installed by the monument company.