Overlooking the historic New Haven Green, Center Church on the Green was named for its position between two other churches. But it’s what’s hiding underneath the church that’s really worth talking about. After all, it’s not every day you find out there’s a crypt in the basement of a church! Check it out:

Center Church on the Green is a quaint and beautiful locale, established in 1638.

Wally Gobetz/Flickr State locals probably know all about the graves that used to occupy the green, but they may not know the bodies are still underneath the grass. For this church, they decided to build over the cemetery instead of moving it.

That means there’s an entire cemetery under the church.

Regina Buenaobra/Flickr While most of the land was bricked over, you can still see the original dirt and plot surrounding the tombstones. That means you’re actually walking through an original colonial graveyard! It’s just been hidden and preserved underground, which is pretty cool.

There are 137 graves hiding here.

2112guy/Wikimedia Here you’ll find founders of various towns and churches in the state, including Benedict Arnold’s first wife and Reverend James Pierpont, one of the founders of Yale. But it’s been estimated nearly a thousand bodies lay under the green and surrounding area, so there are more bodies in this room than meets the eyes.

You’ll definitely want to check out this piece of history!

Regina Buenaobra/Flickr Sure, it will probably give you the chills. You may even be disturbed by the town’s choice to build over a graveyard in the first place. But you can’t deny that this is a really unique experience.

Center Church is located at 250 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06511. The Crypt is open from April to October on Saturdays from 11 am to 1 pm. In the meantime, check out Connecticut’s Hidden Tunnel.

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

State locals probably know all about the graves that used to occupy the green, but they may not know the bodies are still underneath the grass. For this church, they decided to build over the cemetery instead of moving it.

Regina Buenaobra/Flickr

While most of the land was bricked over, you can still see the original dirt and plot surrounding the tombstones. That means you’re actually walking through an original colonial graveyard! It’s just been hidden and preserved underground, which is pretty cool.

2112guy/Wikimedia

Here you’ll find founders of various towns and churches in the state, including Benedict Arnold’s first wife and Reverend James Pierpont, one of the founders of Yale. But it’s been estimated nearly a thousand bodies lay under the green and surrounding area, so there are more bodies in this room than meets the eyes.

Sure, it will probably give you the chills. You may even be disturbed by the town’s choice to build over a graveyard in the first place. But you can’t deny that this is a really unique experience.

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