Sedgwick Pie

The Sedgwick Pie is a burial ground where graves form concentric circles, creating a symmetrical pattern that organizes the family across distinct rings. Each ring represents different levels of relationship, with closer relatives positioned nearer to the center and more distant family members in the outer rings.

The burial arrangement was centered around Theodore Sedgwick, a Massachusetts Supreme Court justice who died in 1813 and rests with his wife Pamela at the heart of the circular design. This unusual structure reflected the family's values and was maintained across generations.

Elizabeth Freeman, who won her freedom from slavery through a Massachusetts court case, was buried here as a member of the Sedgwick family. Her placement reflects the family's unusual openness toward someone who had been enslaved during a period of rigid social divisions.

The burial plot sits in the northeast section of Stockbridge Cemetery and can be accessed via clearly marked pathways. Stone markers identify the different family sections and help visitors navigate the layout and understand the circular arrangement.

The deceased were positioned with their feet facing toward the center, so family members would face each other when rising on Judgment Day. This thoughtful arrangement shows that family bonds mattered even in the afterlife.