Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, Massachusetts

On the hillside overlooking Concord’s Monument Square is the oldest of the three cemeteries, the Old Hill Burying Ground. With nearly 500 graves, the earliest existing stone is dated 1677. Old Hill was the original burying ground for Concord residents after securing their settlement in 1635. The entrance is from Monument Square through the gate between St. Bernard’s Church and the "brick-end" house. This site, on a prominent glacial esker, was adjacent to the original location of the First Parish Church. It was on land that could not be farmed, and because of its height, it was the first area to thaw in the spring. This thawing allowed for early burial of those who died during the winter and waited silently for a place in the warm earth. ^[1]

This page was last modified 21:09, 11 January 2015. This page has been accessed 91 times.