August 23, 2010 — So far in this series from the pages of The New England Grimpendium, we’ve looked at a skull cliff and a tomb room, but no actual dead. Time to change that. Here’s a whole basement full of them. Center Church Crypt in New Haven, CT, is the last vestige of a cemetery dating back to the 1600s that once covered all New Haven Green. In the early 1800s, Center Church was built over part of the cemetery. Years later, the city decided to move all headstones not covered by the church to free up the space for less morbid uses (although they did leave the bodies…it’s been estimated that the remains of up to 10,000 dead still lie beneath the feet of the frisbee throwers and dog walkers that visit the park). As a result, all that survived of the cemetery proper were the 137 subterranean stones marking these ancient indoor dead. 
The oldest stones in the crypt.
Read all about my visit to Center Church Crypt in The New England Grimpendium, which is on sale now.
It's amazing how well preserved the old sandstone markers are. Shows how much damage has been done by pollution in the last 150 or so years to our historic places.
ReplyDeleteonly a liberal could ruin a remarkable look at venerating these stones with a remark about pollution how's that hope and change workin' out for you?
ReplyDeleteWow, really? Pollution is a political issues now? I thought it just *was*.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, a really interesting post - thanks!
What an amazing place! (puts on must visit list!)
ReplyDeleteIt's not just pollution, though. It's weather and other general wear and tear. These photos simply show that when you cover up gravestones, they fare quite better than when they are left exposed to the elements.
ReplyDeleteThe two oldest stones in the crypt are those of my 9X Great Grandparents...Thomas Trowbridge and Sarah Ruthorford Trowbridge his wife. Thanks so much for posting this great photo. This pollution hating liberal that did NOT vote for hope and change appreciates your effort. This would have been the last place I'd expect to find a right wing troll.
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