Eastern Cemetery, Photo Courtesy of Spirits Alive

Spirits Alive Walking Tours

Take a stroll with us through the stones—we’ll give you a real-time explanation and answer your questions.

Events > Spirits Alive Walking Tours
Eastern Cemetery
224 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101 United States
About the Event
Presented by
Spirits Alive
May 23, 2026 through September 23, 2026

Everyday 4:00 PM-5:00 PM

One of Yankee Magazine’s top five cemetery tours in New England! Walk Portland’s Old Burying Ground with a trained guide. Hallowed? Not officially. Historic? Absolutely. Haunted? You decide. Visit the cemetery’s unique field of underground tombs, the oldest grave marker from 1717, the final resting place of the famed Captains of the 1813 battle between the Boxer and the Enterprise, and the interesting carvings of Portland’s first stone-cutter, Bartlett Adams. Tours include early gravestone art, important local historic figures, Portland’s historic events, and the landscape of this National Historic Landmark, including segregated sections for Black people, Catholics, Quakers, and strangers. Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the ground is uneven once we leave the main pathway. Tours are held unless the weather is stormy.

These tours are led by trained volunteers who cover the cemetery’s history, prominent historical figures, and early gravestone art.

The details:

  • Tours leave from the Congress Street gate.
  • Tickets are $10 and children under 12 are free
  • Tours last up to 1 hour.
  • Wear appropriate layers and sun protection — the wind is always a bit stronger on the hill! The terrain is uneven, and there is very little shade.
  • Proceeds go to Spirits Alive to maintain the landscape and conserve Eastern Cemetery’s stones.

*For more information, please visit https://www.spiritsalive.org/index.htm

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