Concord’s oldest cemetery

Old North Cemetery, Concord

Fall is the perfect time to explore New England cemeteries. There’s nothing like crunching through brightly-colored leaves, feeling a crisp bite in the air, and wondering at the mysteries of these spooky sites. On your hunt for history and Halloween vibes, make sure you make a stop at Concord’s oldest cemetery.

Old North Cemetery was established in 1730, back when Concord was called Pennycook. (This was well before Concord became the State Capitol in 1808.) This was the town’s only cemetery for 130 years.

With almost 300 years of history, this special location is full of monuments for prominent figures (including New Hampshire’s only U.S. President, Franklin Pierce), mysterious gravesites, and unique stones. We’ve selected a few highlights of this spooky site to share here, but you can take a deeper dive into the history of this location by watching an in-depth history of the Old North Cemetery on YouTube here.

The oldest stone

The oldest gravestone in Old North Cemetery marks Sarah Walker’s burial site. She was born in 1732 and died at 4 ½ years old. She was the daughter of Reverend Timothy Walker and Sarah Walker. The Reverend was the first minister of Concord, and remained in that role for 52 years, when he died at the age of 84.

Unmarked graves

The unmarked graves in Old North Cemetery may give you creepy vibes, but there is a reason for these undecorated burial sites. When this cemetery was established, locals did not have the skills or tools to create monuments. The nearest town with this resource was 40 miles away, so monuments were created many years after funerals took place, if at all. Still, these sites hold a lot of mystery and unanswered questions.

Nancy—a freed slave

Nancy was born in Boston in 1766, and was taken away from her mother as an infant. She spent the first 18 months of her life owned by a family in Bow, very close to Concord. In 1768, she was sold to the Herbert family in Concord (then called Rumford). She became very close to the Herberts, befriended their children, attended school, and learned to read. A story is told that Nancy was concerned about the abolishment of slavery in New Hampshire in 1783, and was afraid to leave the Herbert family and make her way back to Boston. She was invited to remain with the family, where she stayed until her death at the age of 79. Nancy became an active member of the Concord community, and officially joined the First Congregational Church in 1816.

A sleeping baby

Within the Minot Enclosure—a fenced-in wooded area that holds gravesites of some of Concord’s most prominent residents—is a mysterious stone that features the sculpture of a baby locked in perpetual sleep. This stone marks the site of Willie E. Stewart, the young son of a successful businessman. The large monument marking his father’s grave stands nearby.

All are welcome to respectfully explore Old North Cemetery on North State Street in Concord. While you’re at it, take a stroll through some of Concord’s other historic cemeteries. You can find a complete list online here.

Visit Concord NH is an initiative of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. This website and accompanying social media profiles showcase the best of NH’s Capital Region to travelers, new residents and long-time fans of Concord. Learn more about the Chamber at concordnhchamber.com.