Established 1757 and holding the graves of Aaron Burr Jr., Grover Cleveland, and Jonathan Edwards — Princeton's most prominent dark site now hosts locked-gate evening ghost tours
29 Greenview Ave, Princeton, NJ 08542
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Daytime access is free. Ghost tours are ticketed; check Princeton Magazine and local event listings for scheduled evening tours.
Access
Limited Access
Uneven ground and cemetery paths; some sections difficult with mobility aids
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1757 · Established 1757 under Nassau Presbyterian Church · Aaron Burr Jr. buried here — killed Alexander Hamilton in 1804 duel · Grover Cleveland buried here — only president to serve two non-consecutive terms · John Witherspoon buried here — only active clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence · Jonathan Edwards buried here — early American theologian, died 1758
Princeton Cemetery was established in 1757 on land adjacent to Nassau Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest congregations in New Jersey. The cemetery grew through the 18th and 19th centuries as Princeton developed as an educational and cultural center, and the proximity of Princeton University drew faculty, presidents, and notable alumni to burial there.
Aaron Burr Jr. is the cemetery's most historically charged burial. Burr served as the third Vice President of the United States and is buried next to his father, Aaron Burr Sr., the second president of Princeton College. The younger Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel at Weehawken on July 11, 1804 — an event that effectively ended his political career. Hamilton's death and the subsequent political fallout for Burr, who was indicted for murder in both New York and New Jersey though never tried, give his grave particular weight for visitors familiar with the backstory.
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President of the United States — the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms — is also interred here. John Witherspoon, the only active clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence and the sixth president of Princeton, has his grave marker in the older section. Jonathan Edwards, whose theological writings shaped American Protestantism, died as president of Princeton College in 1758 and is buried on the grounds.
The cemetery covers approximately 16 acres and contains more than 25,000 interments. Evening ghost tours with locked-gate access have been organized periodically by local guides.
Sources
Princeton Cemetery ghost tours, which have operated periodically with locked-gate evening access, focus their paranormal investigation on the graves of the cemetery's most prominent interments. Aaron Burr Jr.'s grave is the most frequently cited focal point — guides and investigators describe cold spots and EMF readings in the area around the Burr family plot, attributed to the violent and politically charged end of Hamilton's life at Burr's hands.
EVP recordings have been reported by multiple investigation teams working the cemetery grounds, with the Burr plot and the older section of the cemetery near Witherspoon's grave generating the most consistent results. A common account from investigators describes voices captured on digital recorders that are not audible in real time.
The historical complexity of who is buried here adds texture to the dark tourism dimension. Burr was never tried for Hamilton's death despite indictments in two states; the duel happened off-campus of any formal jurisdiction's ability to prosecute successfully. That legal ambiguity — a man buried in Princeton who by most accounts committed what was legally murder but died without criminal consequence — sits differently in the landscape than a simple tragedy.
Notable Entities
Princeton Cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours. Notable graves include Aaron Burr Jr. (Vice President, killed Alexander Hamilton in their 1804 duel), Grover Cleveland (22nd and 24th President), John Witherspoon (the only active clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence), and Jonathan Edwards (president of Princeton and early American theologian). A printed walking guide to notable burials is available.
Periodic locked-gate evening ghost tours are organized for Princeton Cemetery, with access through the cemetery after normal hours. Tours are conducted with paranormal investigation equipment and cover the most notable headstones and reported phenomena. Dates and booking vary by season; check Princeton Magazine and local event listings.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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