Glenwood Cemetery was developed as a municipal burying ground in the 1890s. It occupies a level parcel of land that is bounded by Washington Avenue on the east, Fuller Street on the north, and the much larger Woodlawn Cemetery on the south and west. The Beth Israel Cemetery stands opposite Glenwood Cemetery on Fuller Street.

This cemetery sits on 22.5 acres. The earliest death date is 1890 and it is still in use today.

There were over 7000+ headstones in 1999. The stones are arranged in straight rows and often appear back-to-back. Their orientation changes from section to section, with some aligned east-west and others north-south.

The Massachusetts Historical Commission refers to this cemetery in MACRIS as EVR.801 Glenwood Cemetery.