Tucked among the many areas of natural beauty in Harwich, MA, sits Island Pond Cemetery. It is a public garden and historic site established in 1872. Its wooded and rolling hills are home to burial sites of the earliest residents back to 1770. The town’s history here is surrounded by a variety of trees and shrubs.

The James G. Marceline Arboretum encompasses 18 acres of the Island Pond Cemetery and 7 acres of the Harwich Conservation land. This conservation land features walking trails and an Atlantic White Cedar Swamp. The Cemetery and Conservation land are located in Harwich Center and are connected to the Cape Cod Bike Rail Trail. 

The mission of the James G. Marceline Arboretum at Island Pond is to engage, educate, and enrich the lives of our constituents enabling them to become better stewards of our local history and environment. 

The Arboretum is an invaluable natural and horticultural resource with many species of trees, plants, wildlife and historic monuments. The Arboretum contains over 2,056 trees and plants plus 7 additional acres of conservation land which attracts hundreds of annual visitors. At the Arboretum we provide guided educational walking tours on species of trees and woody plants.