Right On Time For Halloween: The 'Legends of Evergreen Cemetery Tour'

NEW HAVEN, CT — From the legend of Midnight Mary (purportedly buried alive) to the histories of Wilbur Cross, the Winchester family, and a bevy of brewers, the New Haven Museum’s “Legends of Evergreen Cemetery Tour” will highlight 16 of New Haven’s departed notables at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

Space is limited, so register here for the free, special rain or shine tour in partnership with the New Haven Preservation Trust. The 90-minute tour takes place on uneven ground, please wear comfortable shoes.

Kyle Driebeek, a visitor experience associate at the New Haven Museum and volunteer with the New Haven Preservation Trust, will take visitors on a guided tour through Evergreen Cemetery’s park-like setting, highlighting many of the Elm City’s late great leaders and go-getters.

Those who care to continue exploring the cemetery after the tour can find the gravesites of other remarkable New Haveners, including those of the creator of the first hamburger (Luis Lassen) and even Count Tolstoy (Leo’s son). Maps will be available at Evergreen Cemetery office.

Notable Stops on the Tour Include:

• Edward Alexander Bouchet - a physicist and educator and the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from any American university (Yale) in 1876.

• A stately firemen’s monument erected in 1877 by the New Haven Firemen’s Benevolent Association, which recently celebrated 175 years of service.

• The Sargent family, which created the Sargent Manufacturing Company on land previously owned by Benedict Arnold, Eli Whitney and the Fulton Steamboat Company.

• A Civil War monument erected in 1870 in memory of the soldiers who died at the former U.S. General Hospital in New Haven, 1862-1865.

• Mary, Thaddeus and Stephen Newton - Mary, a free woman, and Thaddeus, a formerly enslaved man, significantly impacted their community and future generations of New Haveners. Their son Alexander served in the 29th Connecticut Colored Regiment during the Civil War. Their son Stephen joined the 54th Massachusetts Colored Regiment and perished in the Battle of Fort Wagner.

About Kyle Driebeek

Driebeek is a visitor experience associate at the New Haven Museum and a volunteer at the New Haven Preservation Trust. He graduated from Stony Brook University in 2023 with a degree in art history and criticism and has a great interest in the architectural history and preservation fields, with eventual plans to pursue graduate preservation studies.

About Evergreen Cemetery

Evergreen Cemetery, at 769 Ella T Grasso Boulevard, was founded by New Haven’s most prominent citizens in 1848 and comprises 85 acres of a park-like setting that is a haven of tranquility. Each season portrays its own beauty from the blush of pink dogwood blossoms in springtime, through the canopy of trees that offer summer’s shade, to the most beautiful colors of autumn leaves, and finally winter’s snowy peacefulness. Evergreen Cemetery is a non-sectarian, non-profit organization which is managed by the association’s board of trustees.

About the New Haven Preservation Trust

The New Haven Preservation Trust seeks to support our diverse city by encouraging everyone to embrace and champion its historic places. They hope all ages will enjoy the buildings and neighborhoods that hold so many of the city’s stories. The Trust offers guided tours, provides talks and workshops, and helps homeowners learn about their houses. As they seek to grow the preservation community, they are keen to draw in younger generations. Since its founding in 1961, the Trust has played a key role in the preservation and restoration of the New Haven Free Public Library, the New Haven Post Office and Federal Building, New Haven City Hall, the John Davies Mansion, and countless other buildings throughout the city.

About the New Haven Museum

The New Haven Museum has been collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven since its inception as the New Haven Colony Historical Society in 1862. Located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue, the Museum brings more than 375 years of New Haven history to life through its collections, exhibitions, programs, and outreach. As a Blue Star Museum, the New Haven Museum offers the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, free admission all year. For more information, visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.