Cemeteries

Town cemeteries are an integral part of both the history and the ongoing life of the Town of Waitsfield and its residents. The Cemetery Commission is responsible for the care and management of the town’s four burial grounds [Irasville, Village (Mill Hill), Common, and Wait]  including establishing fees and determining rules and regulations for the use of the cemeteries. 

The purpose of the public cemeteries shall be a burial place for the remains of the deceased and those that want to pay their respects. Other types of low impact secondary uses such as walking, and jogging are permissible provided they do not interfere with the primary use.

The Waitsfield Cemetery Commission believes in the cultural and historical significance of the town’s landmark cemeteries and believes that our community is enriched by the lives and deeds of the people who settled here before us. In honor of those founding families, their foresight and hard work, the commission strives to maintain the final resting place for their earthly remains which have been entrusted to our care.

• Opening date for burials is May 1st. Closing date is November 1st. (There are no winter burials)
• Off season burials are made at the discretion of the Cemetery Commissioners.
• Cemetery hours are dawn to dusk.
• Cemetery grounds are to be treated with dignity; Visitors are urged to respect persons who may be visiting burial sites of loved ones. Boisterous behavior, picnics, parties, climbing on monuments, defacing monuments, removing grave items, cutting flowers, littering and other disrespectful acts are all prohibited. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
• Persons are welcome to walk through the cemetery; dogs must be leashed at all times; and owners are required to clean up after their animals.
• The Commission is to be contacted prior to the erection of a monument on a lot for approval of the base structure to avoid frost damages.
• Cornerstones are required for all lots. Headstones or Grass markers bearing names or initials are required for all full burials.
• Vaults are required for all full burials except for natural burials. No mausoleums. Any exceptions to this is at the discretion of the Cemetery Commission.
• Floral or shrub placement shall not interfere with the care of the lot. No glass containers are to be used. Shrubs should be of compact size and height.
• Direct-line descendants of lot owners may use unfilled spaces in old lots upon presentation to the Commission of an approval letter from any other interested parties.
• Damage to monuments by making stone rubbings will be the responsibility of the involved persons and they will be billed for all costs incurred in repair or replacement of said monuments.
• Repair costs of damage done by snow removal operations on surrounding properties shall be the responsibility of the operator or the employer of the same.