With tombstones dating as far back as 1687, New Haven, Connecticut houses between five thousand and ten thousand bodies in a crypt that lies beneath Center Church.
New Havens Center Church remained the only church that existed in the town. When it was time to build a new structure among the church grounds, it was built over a part of the early cemetery. The remaining monuments and headstones were moved to New Havens Grove Street Cemetery to make room for the new building.
The crypt lies far beneath the church and is home to 137 people. Among them lies the city founder, Theophilus Easton, Benedict Arnolds first wife, Margaret Arnold, James Pierpont who is one of the founders of Yale and the grandparents of the United States President, Rutherford B. Hayes. It is believed that about 1,000 unidentified bodies remain underneath the church as well as those that were identified.
The Center Church Crypt is hosting tours that run from April 1 through October 31 on Thursdays and Saturdays. The historic church is also home to a beautiful Tiffany window that sits high above the pulpit. The artwork of the window displays John Davenports first service held in New Haven.
The ceiling of the crypt is fairly low set with a small amount of the headstones being smaller and is easily tripped on, creating an interesting tour. Some stone writings have faded out, due to age, however some remain easy to read. The words that haunt are written on one headstone, which reads, the painfull Mother of eight Children.
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