New Haven Green — Attraction in New Haven

There are few places in America where you can simultaneously contemplate mortality and real estate appreciation, but New Haven Green manages this philosophical feat with remarkable aplomb. Standing on this 16-acre parcel of downtown Connecticut—conservatively valued at $45 million—visitors find themselves literally walking over the remains of 4,000 to 5,000 colonial settlers while surrounded by some of the most coveted real estate in New England.

As burial grounds go, New Haven Green represents both triumph and tragedy of American cemetery design. The triumph lies in its democratic vision: unlike elaborate Victorian necropoli that followed, this Puritan burial ground embraced egalitarian simplicity where merchant princes and paupers shared the same earth. The tragedy, from preservation perspective, is that most evidence of the dead has been erased. When Grove Street Cemetery opened in 1796, headstones migrated but bodies remained, creating America's most thoroughly obscured burial ground.

Theophilus Eaton, who arrived in 1637 with £3,000 and dreams of a New Jerusalem, rests somewhere beneath feet that now hurry to catch buses or spread picnic blankets. Rev. James Pierpont, Yale's founder, lies nearby, his grave lost but legacy visible in Gothic towers across College Street. Mrs. Benedict Arnold—first wife of America's most famous traitor—occupies her own corner of infamy in this democratic ground.

From investment perspective, the Green represents perhaps America's most unique real estate anomaly: prime downtown acreage generating enormous indirect value while remaining permanently off-market due to burial status and bizarre private-yet-public ownership by five secretive proprietors appointed for life. Yale University's $40 billion endowment provides unusual economic stability, while recent sales show nearby homes averaging $323,843 with 56% selling over asking price.

The Green's cultural programming generates $34 million in annual economic impact, creating halo effects benefiting every surrounding restaurant and apartment building. Major developments like Winchester Green's $90 million project demonstrate growing confidence in downtown's future, with the burial ground's permanent preservation ensuring protected views impossible to replicate.

Current $4.6 million improvements promise enhanced accessibility and café facilities, though governance by the mysterious Committee of Proprietors introduces unpredictability sophisticated developers must navigate. Safety perceptions vary—Yale students avoid the Green at night while families comfortably gather for evening concerts across the colonial burial ground.

The Green succeeds through rare combination of historical significance and strategic location. As cemetery, it offers contemplation within America's oldest urban spaces; as real estate anchor, it provides irreplaceable cultural amenities. The true measure of success may be visual: hundreds of families spreading blankets for concerts across colonial graves while church spires and glass towers create dramatic backdrops. In this scene, repeated throughout programming seasons, the dead and living coexist in democratic harmony, creating America's most unusual and successful cemetery-real estate fusion. Four stars, with one deducted for governance opacity that prevents reaching full potential as either burial ground or...

Im only giving this three stars because honestly this is where the busses pick-up and drop off, it's their main hub. Being a first time bus rider I wasn't familiar with where each bus I had to take parks and picks up riders. I felt like there's six different posts. Then to ask the bus drivers where each of busses I needed to take would be they were just as clueless. I've missed busses numerous times and was late each time to destinations. The green can get a bit crowed when busses come in around the same time and being a female I felt like I was being attacked by all the desperate men looking for a quick hook up. The car calling is ridiculous. Also during the evening I've seen a bunch of rodents coming from whichever corner they creep out from. I actually had one literally jump over my feet. I don't use my phone during the evening to not only watch out for these cat size rodents but for the men who prey as well and just overall my safety. They do maintain the litter at times and it is a fairly large area, I'd say it's about a block and a half in size. So be quick to get to each of your busses and be sure to know where each on you need to take is located. This green isn't somewhere to bring children as this isn't really a park area and is surrounded by cars. I've seen a few dogs on leashes playing around the green area. There isn't any free parking and each parking spot runs...

The New Haven Green is a Hot Mess!!! Im down there every day Thanks to some suckers, that decided to Steal my Car and crash & total it. But since Im on the Green every morning I have seen people overdose, drunk, so many homeless. They are sleeping in the bus shelters so you have to stand in the rain, because they are in their make shift homes. Its Sad to say the least. With the mayor right across the street its ashamed!!! Shame on Mayor Harp and the aldermen & women of this fine City and YALE as well. You can build all these apt. Buildings(Winchester) and Orange St.apts(From what I heard) but you can't come together to resolve the homelessness and give these people with mental Illness a place to stay or Live whether it be transitional or permanent. Something needs to be done & people need to STOP thinking about making their pockets FATT and have more compassion and do something to get these addicts, alcoholics, our Veterans, single mothers & dads, the hopeless, and who ever falls within the criteria. Im just a New Haven Resident, Single mother, Student, disabled person with 2 boys at SCSU trying to make it work pt. The Struggle is Real💯 esp on The New Haven...