May 8, 2021
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–A spring clean up of the Locust Hill Cemetery on Hart Avenue was held earlier today. The cemetery contains the remains of 76 or more Africans and included 10 or more Civil War Veterans. It is also reported that graves of Leni Lenape, Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands are also buried in the cemetery.
According to find a grave:
Pre 1850
Originally between Gordon Street and Humboldt Street (extended to Princeton Avenue); fronted on Gordon Street from 150 feet northwest of Princeton Avenue to 500 feet from Princeton Avenue.
This was a 2 1/4 acre tract containing 572 burial lots established by Elisha Gordon in 1837 as Trenton Cemetery, but known locally as Gordon Cemetery. After some burials the place was abandoned because the high water table made it unfit as a cemetery. The disposition of buried remains is unknown.
In 1861 this plot was bought by The Mount Zion AME Church to re-inter burials from another cemetery. Then the remains from Mount Zion AME Churchyard were moved here. All that is left now is a strip from Oak to Hart. Maintained , but no tombstones are left.
Photos by Brian McCarthy, OnScene News
Photos by Brian McCarthy, OnScene News