New Haven, Connecticut: New Haven Green: Bodies Underfoot
The current village green of New Haven is an old burial ground. When a historic oak tree toppled in 2012, a human skeleton was found entwined in its roots. A plaque marks where a new tree was planted.
- Address:
- Chapel St., New Haven, CT
- Directions:
- Downtown. The site of the former tree is on the Green near the northeast corner of College and Chapel Sts.
- Admission:
- Free
Visitor Tips and News About New Haven Green: Bodies Underfoot
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
The village green of New Haven used to be a cemetery. In the early 1800s the stones were removed and placed in Grove Street Cemetery, down the road. However, the bodies were never removed from the Green. In 2012, when Hurricane Sandy came through, a 120-year-old oak tree was uprooted in the Green and people found skeletal remains under the roots. There is now a new tree in its place with a marker.
They say that the reason this particular tree was uprooted and not any of the others was because there is a vortex next to the tree.
[Debbie, 11/23/2013]Nearby Offbeat Places
Home of the Hamburger, New Haven, CT - < 1 mi.
Knights of Columbus Museum, New Haven, CT - < 1 mi.
Midnight Mary's Grave, New Haven, CT - 1 mi.Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.
The oak tree was the "Lincoln Oak" planted in 1909 to mark the centennial birthday of President Lincoln. New England is infamous for its corpse-nourished trees. July 2016: Photo added.