Center Church on the Green

New Haven, CT

Church spires always look majestic, towering over the local city scape.  This the First Church of Christ, also known as the Center Church on the Green, since it is situated between two other historic churches on the New Haven Green.  The congregation was organized in 1639 and congregation members included many of the founders of New Haven and early settlers in this region.  The current church, or meeting hall, was built between 1812 and 1814 and was built over a portion the colony's ancient burial grounds.  The original graves and headstones were left intact, in place and undisturbed, to be protected by the church's foundation.  This crypt can still be visited today where one can see these headstones in remarkably good shape, documenting the early colonial history of Connecticut.