Did You Know the Oldest Cemetery in America is in New England?

As a lover of all things history, this writer has loved getting to grow up and now live in one of the most historic parts of the country.

New Hampshire alone is home to 23 National Historic Landmarks, and within our neighboring states of Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont lie an additional 253.

But these places are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our region's past. There are countless centuries-old homes, churches, and other structures that may not be national landmarks, but still stand today and remind us of times which now exist only in the pages of history.

Another example is cemeteries. If you've spent any amount of time in New England, you've likely driven past or strolled through burial grounds dating back hundreds of years. Yours truly has walked through many an old cemetery, sometimes trying to read headstone inscriptions which are now practically illegible.

But of these cemeteries, there's one that's not only the oldest in New England, but nationwide.

According to Yankee Magazine, the 1.5-acre Myles Standish Burial Ground in Duxbury, Massachusetts, is the oldest maintained cemetery in the United States. The cemetery was named after Captain Myles Standish (1584-1656), a military leader of the Plymouth colony who's buried there, along with several other Pilgrims who journeyed to the US aboard the Mayflower.

Given that Massachusetts is one of the oldest states in the country (and the site of the first Pilgrim settlement, Plymouth), it's no surprise that the Bay State is home to the oldest graveyard in the country. Nonetheless, it's still fascinating to learn about our area's rich history, and those who came before us.

To learn more about the Myles Standish Burial Ground, click here.