[1] The cemetery is located in the central eastern part of the city, roughly bounded on the north by Fort Hill Park, on the east by Shedd Park, on the south by railroad tracks, and on the west by the Concord River, from which it is separated by Lawrence Street, where its historic main gate is located.

There is a secondary gate on Knapp Avenue at the cemetery's northeast corner, which was added in 1905.

There are two buildings in the cemetery: the Talbot Memorial Chapel (1885) and the Superintendent's Office (1887), both Gothic Revival structures designed by Boston architect Frederick Stickney.

[2] Roadways in the cemetery were laid out to take advantage of the natural terrain, occasionally providing vistas.

The main circulation route, Washington Avenue, roughly encircles the property, with several roads providing access across the central areas.