Historic Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast, a photographic study of Colonial Era-burial grounds, uncovers the fascinating history of the area from the 1680s to 1810. These early cemeteries are a direct link to our past, and yet very little has been done to preserve their history through photographs. By understanding how, why, and by whom these gravestones were made, the symbolism they portray can be understood, and we will gain a clearer understanding of the ways in which our ancestors lived and died. The burial grounds and the gravestones within them have often been called "open air museums." They contain some of the oldest works of art found in the area; some gravestones are more than 300 years old. Through the author's collection of photographs, one can see the entire range of images present in the area's old burial grounds, including grinning skulls and crossbones, heavenly cherubs, and epitaphs that tell magnificent tales. This collection is a must for anyone interested in local history, genealogy, or colonial-era art.

A historical journey through the headstones and hauntings of the Granite State—includes photos. New Hampshire’s historic graveyards, from Portsmouth to North Conway, have bizarre and eerie stories to offer their visitors. Graveyards often invoke fear and superstition among the living, but the dead who rest within them may have more to communicate to the world they left behind. The sands of Pine Grove Cemetery in Hampton once concealed the tombstone of Susanna Smith, but now its message—which reads simply “Slaine with thunder”—and her story have risen from beneath the soil. The Point of Graves Cemetery in Portsmouth is home to the spirit of Elizabeth Pierce, who beckons departing guests back to her grave. Along the state’s southern border in Jaffrey, tombstones at Philips-Heil Cemetery caution the living to cherish life. Here, Roxie Zwicker tours the Granite State’s oldest burial grounds, exploring the stones, stories, and folklore of these hallowed places.

New Hampshire's historic graveyards, from Portsmouth to North Conway, have bizarre and eerie stories to offer their visitors. Graveyards often invoke fear and superstition among the living, but the dead who rest within them may have more to communicate to the world they left behind. The sands of Pine Grove Cemetery in Hampton once concealed the tombstone of Susanna Smith, but now its message--which reads simply Slaine with thunder"--and her story have risen from beneath the soil. The Point of Graves Cemetery in Portsmouth is home to the spirit of Elizabeth Pierce, who beckons departing guests back to her grave. Along the state's southern border in Jaffrey, tombstones at Philips-Heil Cemetery caution the living to cherish life. Author Roxie Zwicker tours the Granite State's oldest burial grounds, exploring the stones, stories and folklore of these hallowed places."

New Hampshire cemetery records, compiled by Holman. Includes records from the first book of the Smith Meeting House, Gilmanton, copied 1911; death records from Smith Meeting House Burial Ground at Gilmanton, copied 1911; death records from the graveyard at Barnstead, N.H., copied 1913; records from ancient graveyard at Salem, copied 1915; and from small graveyard at Gilmanton Ironworks, N.H., copied 1911.

Whether it's for their solace and beauty or for the sense of history that seeps from the ground, cemeteries are fascinating places to visit, this guide shows where to find the most interesting and unusual ones in all of New England. Some have headstones that are fine art, others are associated with notorious events, and others are the final resting place of famous poets, soldiers, and statesmen. Included are large public facilities as well as the small family burying grounds hidden away behind crumbling stone walls and along once-cultivated farmland. A sampling of cemeteries profiled: *Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont, where lifelike sculptures of angels and Greek goddesses stand next to a stone soccer ball and Shell Oil truck gravemarker, all elaborately carved from local granite by immigrant Italian stonecutters. *Spider Gates Cemetery, in Leicester, Massachusetts, a notorious Quaker burying ground famed for its frequent ghost sightings and still in use today. *A cemetery situated on the raised median of the Interstate in Warner, New Hampshire,which was preserved in 1970 by highway planners, who constructed the roadway around it. *Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven, Vermont, final resting place of Timothy Clark Smith, whose 1893 crypt includes a window to help him escape in case he was buried alive. Driving directions are provided for each cemetery, and detailed maps show the location of the more obscure graveyards. This unique guide offers an intriguing way to learn about the history and culture of New England.