Copp's Hill Burying Ground, Boston

As Boston's second-oldest cemetery, only trailing behind the one near King's Chapel, this burial ground earned the rather macabre nickname "Corpse Hill", though its official name pays homage to William Copp, a local resident who owned a farm on its southeastern slope since 1643 and from whom much of the cemetery's land was purchased. Among the more renowned individuals interred here are Robert Newman, the sexton responsible for hanging Paul Revere's signal lanterns in Old North Church's belfry, and Edmund Hartt, the mastermind behind the construction of the USS 'Constitution'. In addition, three generations of a prominent Puritan ministerial family rest here, alongside hundreds of enslaved and freed individuals from Boston's colonial era, including Prince Hall, who founded the African Freemasonry Order in Massachusetts. All told, it's estimated that 10,000 people were laid to rest in Copp's Hill.

During the British occupation of Boston, this site served as an artillery position for British commanders, later used to direct cannon fire across Boston Harbor toward American positions in Charlestown during the Revolution. Legend has it that King George III's troops used the slate headstones for target practice, leaving musket ball pockmarks still visible on some graves.

On the opposite side of Charter Street, you'll find Copp's Hill Terrace, an excellent vantage point for gazing across to Charlestown and Bunker Hill. It is also the site of one of history's most bizarre tragedies: in January 1919, a 2.3-million-gallon molasses tank exploded, unleashing a colossal, syrupy tidal wave that surged through the streets, claiming the lives of 21 people and leaving Boston Harbor's waters tinted brown until the summer months.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Copp's Hill Burying Ground
Sight Location: Boston, USA (See walking tours in Boston)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

North End Walking Tour

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