How to Visit Jack Kerouac's Grave

Jack Kerouac wrote the famous novel 'On the Road.'

A leading voice in the "Beat" generation of artists in the 1950s, "On the Road" author Jack Kerouac retains his iconic status in American culture today. His addiction to alcohol led to his death in 1969 from cirrhosis of the liver at age 47. He was buried in Edson Cemetery, Lowell, Massachusetts, where you can visit his grave.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Go to Lowell, Massachusetts, and catch the Route 13 bus south from the Kennedy Center on Thorndike Street, in the downtown area.

2. Get off the bus at Gorham Street and Carlisle Street. It takes six minutes, on average.

3. Take 495 or Route 3 instead, if driving, and take the Lowell connector exit. Leave via exit 5a, and the ramp will take you to Gorham Street. Edson is the last cemetery on the right.

4. Enter Edson Cemetery through the main entrance on Gorham Street. It's identifiable by large gates with offices housed in a small cottage to the right.

5. Walk directly down the main avenue as you enter the cemetery. This is Third Avenue.

6. Turn left when you reach Lincoln Avenue, and look out for the Eisentraut family plot just after the junction of Seventh Avenue. Jack Kerouac's resting place is marked by a flat gravestone.

7. Phone the City of Lowell Cemetery Commission at 978-970-3323, or stop into its office by the Edson Cemetery main entrance, if you need further help finding the grave.

Tips & Warnings

• Visit the MBTA website for more transport options for getting to Lowell, Massachusetts.

References

• Find a Grave: Jack Kerouac
• City of Lowell: Cemeteries
• Lowell Regional Transit Authority: Route 13 Map
• Lowell Regional Transit Authority: Route 13 Schedule

Resources

• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority