by John Greendale
7/13/2008

Regarding the headstones under the hadicapped ramp at the Town Hall, I put them there. They were found buried near the Civil War Monument when the underground electric lines to the Town Hall were being installed.

I determined they had been duplicated, probably when the bodies were moved from that section of the cemetary to create space for the Civil War Monument. They were replaced with more elaborate stones, and appear to all be related people (if I remember correctly there were four people). Perhaps these stones had been damaged or perhaps the relatives had more money at that time.

Rather than rebury them, and not knowing what else to do with them, I put them under the ramp. Whatever is done with them, they should not be reinstalled. This would be a good opportunity for someoone to do an article on the Civil War Monument and on the Civil War Armory that was in what is now the attic of the Town Hall. Even better an article on the history of the Central Burial Ground and another on the history of the Town Hall (called the Town House when it was built) and an article on its predecessor (which I understand was moved in two pieces to Pleasant St).

Or, how about an article on the unmarked grave site that was discovered while digging for the above mentioned electric lines?