Feel the chilling wind whisper secrets from the past. You stand before Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. This isn’t just any cemetery. It’s a living history book etched in weathered headstones. Established in 1659 Copp’s Hill is Boston’s second oldest burying ground.
Imagine a bustling North End. The population exploded. A new burial ground became crucial. Two landowners sold their plots. The city named it the North Burying Ground. It later changed to Copp’s Hill after William Copp a local shoemaker.
Deadly epidemics smallpox and yellow fever ravaged the city. Copp’s Hill expanded twice to accommodate the deceased. First in 1708 land from Salem witch trial judge Samuel Sewall was purchased. A century later another expansion occurred. In 1819 Boston Mayor Charles Wells’ cemetery merged with Copp’s Hill.
Construction projects flattened the hill. Drainage suffered. Headstones sank into the earth. The cemetery seemingly swallowed by the earth. A haunting image.
Before the Battle of Bunker Hill British troops used Copp’s Hill. They practiced their cannon and musket fire. They even shot at the headstones. Captain Daniel Malcolm’s headstone is riddled with bullet holes. He was a Son of Liberty. A wine smuggler. He requested a deep burial to avoid vengeful enemies. The British disregarded this.
Copp’s Hill holds the remains of the African-American community “New Guinea”. Mostly unmarked graves exist. Many were moved during Snow Hill Street construction. Some say this caused unsettling paranormal activity. Glowing lights and shadow figures appear.
Visit the Mather Family Tomb. Increase and Cotton Mather infamous Puritans and Salem witch trial witnesses lie here. See Robert Newman’s simple headstone. He hung the lanterns on Paul Revere’s midnight ride. Phillis Wheatley the first published African-American poet is also buried here. Black Freemasonry founder Prince Hall rests here too. Edmund Hartt builder of the USS Constitution is a Copp’s Hill resident.
The Children’s Tomb is the largest monument. Infants who died unbaptized lie here. Local legends whisper of underground tunnels used by pirates and bootleggers.
Strange lights and noises are common. Locals avoid the sidewalks. Muffled cries and groans echo from across the street. The Mathers Increase and Cotton are said to have loud voices. Increase torments visitors. Cotton is haunted by the witches he condemned.
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. More than a cemetery. A silent testament to Boston’s rich and sometimes chilling past. It’s a place where history and legend intertwine creating an unforgettable experience.