Bank Street Cemetery Upgrade Draws Attention

HARWICH – Many people in the Bank Street neighborhood were unaware of a small cemetery in their midst, and its upgrading is getting attention.

Recent landscape maintenance improvements, including the addition of a split rail fence and a sign that reads “Bank Street Cemetery, Town of Harwich” have drawn interest.

The burial grounds set back off the east side of Bank Street, across the street from the former home of Benjamin F. Bee, dates from the mid 1800s. Bee was a machinist and inventor known for several important inventions, including the safety section boiler, the relief tap, universal button fastener and the cranberry picker. He was also an engineer in the Union Navy from 1862 to 1865. He owned the north-facing front gable Greek Revival with columns located diagonally across Bank Street from Long Road.

Sandra Hall, who grew up two properties south of the cemetery, said on the Harwich Old Timers Facebook page that the families and ancestors of Bee were buried in the small cemetery. Hall said it was her understanding that the graves and mausoleum were relocated to Island Pond Cemetery in the 1920s.

However, three of the graves could not be located, so the Bank Street area was designated a cemetery.

“I lived on Long Road off Bank Street and used to ride my bike to the fire station to see my dad. Never knew there were people buried there,” Debbie Campbell wrote on the Harwich Old Timers page.

The town has been maintaining the Bank Street Cemetery for well over 30 years, according to Cemetery Commissioner Rob Thompson. Currently, there is only one grave marker within the cemetery boundaries. It contains the initials “C.A.B.” In an email, Thompson wrote that Cemetery Administrator Robbin Kelley expects that given the size of the grounds, that there might be other unmarked Bee family members buried there.

“Unfortunately, due to the previous overgrowth, our ground-penetrating radar may not be able to distinguish these burials among the root structures,” Thompson wrote. “Research conducted by Robbin and other town departments has discovered that the Bee family (Benjamin Bee, Captain Isaac Bee) at one time lived near the property. Given the initials on the marker, it is entirely possible, and I want to emphasize pure conjecture at this point, that the occupants of Bank Street Cemetery could be their relatives. The search will continue. Such is the fun, if you will, of genealogy.”

Cindy Eldredge, the longest-serving cemetery commissioner, recalls the cemetery improvement as the topic of discussion for over 10 years, he wrote. Just over a year ago, after being contacted by one of the abutters, the commission began making plans for improvements in earnest. The first step was to survey the town-owned property. Next, the commission met with the three abutters to gather their thoughts and discuss some of the commission's ideas. In the end, he said, the commission decided to improve the grounds so as not to distract from the neighborhood, including enclosing the actual burial area as well as providing safe but limited parking for visitors.

“The overarching goal of the commissioners was to have the cemetery appearance complement what is already a beautiful and historic Harwich street,” Thompson wrote. “While we did remove some trees for safety reasons we were able to preserve an American Elm tree near the entrance. We are currently in discussions over the appropriate ground cover for the enclosed portion of the cemetery as we do not currently have an irrigation source. And of course, we invite those with genealogical talents to help continue the search for the identity and family history of C.A.B.”

The town of Harwich took possession of the .21-acre parcel in February 2003. In the annual town meeting in May 1997, voters approved article 25, which was an order of tax takings by eminent domain of 21 parcels, including the cemetery parcel.