Arlington Community Education

Join us this Mother’s Day for a thoughtful stroll through Mount Auburn, celebrating the lives of women whose stories highlight the many facets of motherhood. Fanny Longfellow (1817–1861), wife of the poet, devoted herself to the loving care of her young children. Caroline Merriam (1808–1891) was heartbroken by the loss of her son, Lieutenant Colonel Waldo Merriam, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania in 1864. His monument near Story Chapel honors his sacrifice. Civil War nurse Dorothea Dix (1802–1897) spent her life advocating for the mentally ill, and Fannie Merritt Farmer (1857–1915) helped generations of women master the art of cooking with her famous cookbook.