Hidden Graveyard in Rye Marks Area of the Oldest Settlement in New Hampshire

Even if you've lived in the same town, state, or region all your life, there's always something new to see or explore that you never knew existed.

Yours truly learned that firsthand last year after going on an adventure with two friends, one of whom (we'll call her Tricia), was visiting New Hampshire for the first time.

While walking around Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, Tricia went online and found out that there was a graveyard nearby. Using her phone as a guide, the three of us crossed Ocean Boulevard and followed the path between the Odiorne House (located at 505 Ocean Blvd) and its adjacent barn-turned-office. The land is all on the Park's property, according to this official map, so being there was not an act of trespassing.

Soon after journeying behind the house and barn, we saw Old Odiorne Point Cemetery in the distance and headed over.

A sign at the graveyard's entrance provided some historic context. It turns out that the cemetery is in the vicinity of the first settlement in New Hampshire, established by David Thomson in 1623. Many of those buried here were members of that fifirst group of settlers who tragically did not survive their first New England winter. The burial ground could also be the final resting place of Native Americans on friendly terms with the settlers, according to the sign.

Some of the tombstones, like those of the Odiorne family, have somewhat legible names and information carved onto them. Others are simple slabs of stone with nothing etched on them, making the identities of the people beneath lost to history.

So, take it from a local: contrary to what you might think, no matter how much time you've lived in a particular area, there's always something new to check out.

Speaking of history, check out these 20 historical figures with interesting connections to New Hampshire.