Most People Don't Know This Park In Connecticut Was Built On An Ancient Burial Ground

Connecticut is known across the nation for its ties to the paranormal. But sometimes the creepy factor is a lot more tangible than a ghost story. There’s one place in Connecticut that’s often forgotten when it comes to strange histories, and that’s the New Haven Green. The 16-acre park is an often used picnic and event space, but it’s also an ancient burial ground.

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This 1919 poster reveals that little has changed in the last century. But things were sure different in the 1600s! Originally known as the marketplace, the New Haven Green was designed by the Puritans to hold the number of people who they believed would be spared in the Second Coming of Christ: 144,000.

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Today it holds 5,000.

Well, five thousand human remains anyway. This natural oasis in the middle of a cityscape is a popular destination that holds a lot more people during its many festivals. But not all of the visitors are aware of the bodies beneath the surface. The founders of both New Haven and Yale University are buried here!

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There's a church just across the street that took its cue from the green, and a portion of the burial grounds can be found there. The builders decided to leave it intact, effectively turning the basement in to a crypt. For foundation reasons, they laid bricks over the grass, but that's it. An ancient cemetery is preserved right here in our little state!

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Will you be one of the folks attending an event at an ancient burial ground? It was once said that the New Haven militia haunted the green, but sightings are pretty rare. Then again, it's pretty empty at night...

In October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy uprooted a historic 103-year-old tree on the green. Imagine one resident’s surprise when she saw human remains tangled up in the roots! Given the timing, some thought it was a Halloween prank. But it was actually a 400-year-old skeleton from the grave site turned local park. You can see the news coverage here:
You can use the address Temple Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511 to find your way to the New Haven Green.
To see more of New Haven’s grave history, try a visit to the Center Church on the Green and see the underground crypt for yourself.