Hidden Graveyard in Rye Marks Area of the Oldest Settlement in New Hampshire

Even in the event you’ve lived in the identical city, state, or area all of your life, there’s at all times one thing new to see or discover that you simply by no means knew existed.

Yours actually realized that firsthand yesterday after occurring just a little journey with two others, considered one of whom (we’ll name her Tricia), was visiting the Granite State for the primary time from Florida.

Whereas strolling round Odiorne Level State Park in Rye, NH, Tricia went on-line and came upon that there was a graveyard close by, a lot to this author’s shock. Utilizing her cellphone’s map as a information, the three of us crossed Ocean Boulevard and adopted the trail between the Odiorne Home (situated at 505 Ocean Blvd) and its adjoining barn-turned-Park-office. The land is all on the Park’s property in keeping with this official map, so we weren’t trespassing by being there.

Quickly after journeying behind the home and barn, we noticed Previous Odiorne Level Cemetery within the distance and approached.

An indication on the entrance to the graveyard supplies extra details about its historical past. It seems that the cemetery is within the space of the first settlement in New Hampshire, established by David Thomson in 1623. A lot of these buried right here had been amongst that first group of settlers, and tragically didn’t survive their first New England winter. The burial floor might even be the ultimate resting place of Native Individuals who had been on pleasant phrases with the settlers, in keeping with the signal.

Among the tombstones, like these of the Odiorne household, have considerably legible names and data carved into them. Others are easy slabs of stone with nothing etched on them, during which case the id of the particular person buried beneath is sadly misplaced to historical past.

So, take it from a neighborhood: opposite to what you may suppose, no matter how a lot time you’ve got lived in a specific space, there’s at all times one thing new to try.

Talking of historical past, try these 20 historic figures with attention-grabbing connections to the Granite State.

25 Historic Figures With Fascinating Ties to New Hampshire