Armenian Heritage at Mount Auburn

Thousands of Boston-area Armenians chose, and continue to choose, Mount Auburn Cemetery as their final resting place, from early merchants such as Simon Antranighian, the first Armenian to be buried here, to refugees from the Ottoman massacres and genocide, to their contemporary descendants.

In 2025, Governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey declared April to be Armenian American Heritage Month.

In 1853, a twenty-six-year-old named Simon Antranighian arrived in Boston on the clipper ship Sultana from Smyrna (Izmir), Turkey. When he applied for U.S. citizenship the following spring, he stated that he was an “Artist,” born in Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, in 1827. Probate records suggest that Antranighian worked as a daguerreotypist (an early type of photographer) and a waiter in what is now Boston’s South Bay.

According to his death record, Antranighian died on March 15, 1855, just 470 days after his arrival. His cause of death was listed as “Infl. of lungs,” which could have been one of several respiratory diseases – including tuberculosis and pneumonia – that were common killers in 19th-century cities.

Antranighian was interred in the public St. John Lot on Vesper Avenue in an unmarked grave. He was the first known Armenian to be buried at Mount Auburn – but not the last. More than 3,000 Armenians have been buried here since.

In 2016, a group of local Armenian culture advocates, including members of Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, the National Association of Armenian Studies and Research, and Mount Auburn Cemetery’s volunteers, began an effort to create a monument for the unmarked grave of Simon Antranighian (1827-1855) – the first known Armenian buried at Mount Auburn.

They enlisted Robert Shure, sculptor and President of Skylight Studios in Woburn, to design a monument appropriate for Antranighian’s gravesite.

Watertown has been a pivotal destination for Armenian immigrants in Massachusetts ever since the Hood Rubber factory opened its doors in 1896 and offered economic opportunity to new immigrants. This industrial milestone coincided with an era of massive migration, as Armenians fled the brutal massacres of the 1890s and established strong roots in East Watertown. In the years following the genocide, the community expanded further; by 1930, Armenians comprised nearly one in every ten residents.

Over time, Watertown evolved into a vibrant hub of Armenian culture and heritage. Even as later generations moved to surrounding suburban areas, the legacy of those early settlers continue to resonate in the town. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the state is home to roughly 30,000 Armenian Americans, with the highest concentration found in the Greater Boston area.

Today, Watertown remains at the heart of the Armenian American community in Massachusetts—a community reflected in the memorials and histories preserved at sites such as Mount Auburn Cemetery.

The trailblazing and entrepreneurial spirit of Armenian Americans is present throughout Mount Auburn's landscape. Their innovations and thoughtful approach to problem-solving have shaped communities and industries alike. These leaders in their fields exemplify the dynamic drive and determination that continues to inspire future generations.

We pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those Armenians who fought for their homeland. Set against the upheaval of World War I, the Ottoman Empire, under the Young Turk Committee of Union and Progress, forged a military pact with Germany on August 2, 1914, and formally joined the Central Powers on November 11. The wartime alliance and ensuing chaos in the Near East and Russian Caucasus provided the cover the Young Turk regime needed to pursue its nationalist objectives, resulting in the Armenian Genocide.

Here we honor Drastamat Kanayan (General Dro), the storied World War I commander and revered Armenian national hero, alongside fellow WWI veterans and even a Purple Heart recipient whose wounds speak to their valor. Their dedication and resilience embody the unbreakable spirit of the Armenian community at home and abroad.

We celebrate the creative vision and intellectual contributions of Armenian luminaries whose work has enriched both community and culture. From Rose Nazarian Baboian’s cherished cookbook that preserves ancestral flavors, to Luise Vosgerchian Pagacik’s inspired performances and scholarship at Harvard, these individuals embody the ingenuity, passion, and enduring spirit of Armenian artistry.

Research and support for this page was deeply informed by Stephen Pinkerton, Research and Visitor Services Docent, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Ruth Thomasian, Founder and CEO, Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, and Marc A. Mamigonian, Director of Academic Affairs, National Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), Belmont, MA. Additional research and writing was compiled and created by Education & Digital Content Manager Corinne Elicona.

Photo Header: General Dro, third from the right, leading the second battalion in 1915