Context: We present the results of a near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic study of the star-forming region G61.48+0.09. Aims: The purpose of this study is to characterize the stellar content of the cluster and to determine its distance, extinction, age, and mass. Methods: The stellar population was studied by using color-magnitude diagrams to select twenty promising cluster members, for which follow-up spectroscopy was done. The observed spectra allowed a spectral classification of the stars. Results: Two stars have emission lines, twelve are G-type stars, and six are late-O or early-B stars. Conclusions: The cluster's extinction varies from AK_S = 0.9 to AK_S = 2.6, (or AV ˜ 8 to AV ˜ 23). G61.48+0.09 is a star-forming region located at 2.5±0.4 kpc. The cluster is younger than 10 Myr and has a minimum stellar mass of 1.5± 0.5 × 10 3 M_&sun;. However, the actual total mass of the cluster remains undetermined, as we cannot see its whole stellar content. Figures 2-4, are only available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org