Plymouth in Litchfield County, Connecticut — The American Northeast (New England)
Plymouth Burying Ground
1747
Photographed By Michael Herrick, November 16, 2015
1. Plymouth Burying Ground Marker
1747
National Register of Historic Places
Here lie buried Veterans of the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
The gravestones are in rows running north and south. The bodies were placed facing east, so that on the day of judgment, the resurrected dead would arise toward the dawn.
Gravestone Symbols
The oldest graves (mid-1700s), are nearest the entrance. They have carved symbols such as winged angels, representing the ascension of the soul to heaven. Some have messages, such as "Mortals Attend & Learn Your End”, to warn the living to maintain a life of virtue.
The inscriptions tell us how hard life was; "lived to bury five husbands”, ”was drowned", ”died of scald", and "died with daughter stillborn.”
Gravestones from the early 1800s, on the lower slope, often have weeping willows, symbolizing sorrow. A broken tree indicates a life cut short. An urn represents the soul. Stones may have symbols of organizations the deceased belonged to, such as Freemasonry.
The gravestones are artifacts that provide clues to the lives of our ancestors and the history of Plymouth. They deserve our respect and devoted care.
Major funding provided by Plymouth Historical Society, Marian Milne, Plymouth
this page online
Erected by Plymouth Historical Society, Marian Milne, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and First Congregational Church of Plymouth.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Colonial Era. A significant historical year for this entry is 1747.
Location. 41° 40.365′ N, 73° 3.246′ W. Marker is in Plymouth, Connecticut, in Litchfield County. Marker is at the intersection of Park Street and Main Street (U.S. 6), on the right when traveling south on Park Street. Located next to the Plymouth Green. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Park Street, Plymouth CT 06782, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Plymouth Center School (here, next to this marker); First Congregational Church of Plymouth (within shouting distance of this marker); Site Of St. Peter’s Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Plymouth Soldiers Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Constitution Oak (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Plymouth (approx. 0.6 miles away); Fr. Michael J. McGivney (approx. 0.9 miles away); Thomaston Veterans Monument (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Plymouth.
Also see . . .
Photographed By Michael Herrick, November 16, 2015
2. Plymouth Burying Ground Marker
Photographed By Michael Herrick, November 16, 2015
3. Gravestones in the Plymouth Burying Ground
Photographed By Michael Herrick, November 16, 2015
4. Boulder and Plaque on the Plymouth Green
1752 1889
100 Yards North
Plymouth Historical Society
1974
Credits. This page was last revised on April 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 18, 2015, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 402 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 18, 2015, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.
