Comments on: Center Church, New Haven

By: Rob J.

Rob J. — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 06:04:11 +0000

During the early years of New Haven (founded 1638), all the dead were buried under what is now the upper green, the area behind the three churches. All of those burials are still there, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 people. When Center Church was built, the level of the green was raised several feet so that the original level of the graveyard became the basement level of the church. Also at this time, most of the surviving gravestones that remained outside of the church were carried over to the then-new Grove Street Cemetery and placed in roughly alphabetical order against the back wall of the cemetery.

By: Lois Petty

Lois Petty — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:47:58 +0000

There is a nearly identical church to the right of Center Church. It’s name is United Church on the Green. do you know if the original cemetary extended that far? If so, what happened to the bodies beneath?

Thanks,
Lois Petty

By: Center Church, New Haven – Damned Connecticut | crypts

Center Church, New Haven – Damned Connecticut | crypts — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:49:05 +0000

[...] Here is the original post: Center Church, New Haven – Damned Connecticut [...]

By: Barbie

Barbie — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:15:23 +0000

This was really interesting. I thought I remembered hearing that one of the churches was built over a cemetery, I didn’t know the extent of that area. gives you a different feeling walking around there now.