Old Hill Cemetery Investigation

On a blustery Sunday morning in early September, a small group of SOUL FAN members ventured to into the Old Hill Cemetery, in Newburyport, MA . Our hopes were high as we entered the area. Several members had stories of evidence they had collected in the past and one member shared with us the fact that they took part in their first ever paranormal investigation here several year prior. Our ventures began on the western side of the cemetery at the unofficial entrance. Being just hours after a tropical depression rolled thought the area our group carefully entered into this very run down yet majestic cemetery. With the sun now shining on us we began walking around being ever aware of the large holes in the ground and the general run down condition of the grave markers themselves. Armed with video recorders, EMF detectors, digital voice recorders, we entered and separated determined and with our hearts set on experiencing history.

Old Hill Cemetery

Newburyport, is a city steeped history and every bit of it can be relieved by walking thought this cemetery. Established in 1729 Old Hill was Newburyport’s first official burial grounds and is now close to public burials, with the exception of a very few who, even then has to obtain permission for the City Council and Historical Societies approval. It is that over 1,200 persons buried at this location however, the actual number is not know. Buried here are some of the most famous ship captains our nation has ever seen. As well as abolitionist, civil war hero’s, some of our nations first superior court judges, world famous clergy member, and many many more important individuals. As several SOULFAN members live in the area and remember tours thought the cemetery as part of a school field trip. As we walked around we all reminisced about the stories that had been told to us as children about some of the inhabitants of this area. Stopping occasionally to point out carvings, inscriptions and dates we wound our ways up the hills and though the maze of stones. We all recognized and honored that as we walked though the cemetery and read the stones that, what to others just appears as an old run down cemetery is a vital piece of not only history but a part of people’s heritage.

Highlights

The highlight of our investigation was a stop at a locally famous mausoleum. Twice in the last 10 years this site had been broken into and the graves within disturbed. The site, now repaired, site still carries with it signs of the past damage. It was heartbreaking to think that the final resting place of the six family members had been desecrated not once but twice. Much time was spent here investigating the site in hopes that there would a response to our presence.

We could not have asked for a better day to have investigated Old Hill and as we comb thought the evidence whither or not evidence was caught we will all remember Old Hill Cemetery as a historic place and one that holds a special meaning to those members whom have both investigated there in the past and those whom pasts are connected with the area.

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