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The Association:
The Association:
The Ancient Burying Ground Association seeks to preserve and promote the history of this cemetery - the city's oldest historic landmark -located at the corner of Main & Gold Streets near Center Church in Hartford. Between 1640 and 1810, 6,000 city residents were interred at the Ancient Burying Ground. Among those individuals are Hartford's founders, Samuel Stone and Reverend Thomas Hooker.
In 1638, the Reverend Thomas Hooker preached a sermon proclaiming the radical concept that government derives its authority from the will of the people. This principle was incorporated into the Fundamental Orders. These laws established the Connecticut Colony as a constitutional democracy and have been hailed as the first written constitution in human history.
To continue the legacy of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, an award in his name is bestowed to one or two individuals each year for their leadership, entrepreneurship, and work to improve the quality of life in the community. Past recipients of the Thomas Hooker Award include the following: Ellsworth Grant (1987); Dorothy Archibald, The Honorable William O'Neill (1988); James English, Jr., Shepherd Holcombe (1989); David Coffin (1990); Eunice Groark (1991); Appleton Seaverns (1992); Dr. Edythe Gaines, Charles Kaman (1993); John M.K. Davis, Michael Peters (1994); William Peelle (1995); Wilson Wilde (1996); Morrison Beach (1997); Geno Auriemma, Mercedes Croutch (1998); Wilson Faude (1999); Helen & Harry Gray (2000); Dollie & Jackie McLean (2001); James B. Lyon (2003); John B. Stewart, Jr. (2004).
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Ancient Burying Ground Association's ongoing restoration program, started in 1985. In the past two decades, the cemetery has been dramatically improved; techniques have been used to clean, preserve, restore and in some cases entirely replicate more than 100 gravestones to date.
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