Archer Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church Cemetery & Pine Grove

A Resting Place of Great Importance

Archer Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church Cemetery & Pine Grove: A small cemetery (Mt. Zion Cemetery) was established by Windsor’s A.M.E. Zion Church in a peaceful, serene pine grove in 1908. This grove is where annual religious camp meetings were held by the church ministers for the members and community and is the location where the original church structure was built in the late 1890’s. Mrs. Elizabeth Archer was the first member to be buried there in September of 1908. In July of 1914, Alexander (Sandy) Archer was the second member to be interred in the cemetery next to his wife, Elizabeth. Mr. Archer was a significant charter member who made his way to freedom from bondage in the south via the Underground Railroad as a freedom seeker. He became a prominent church member and leader in the neighborhood. He first appeared as living in Windsor in 1873. He was a farmer, worked in tobacco, and became quite prosperous, owning several parcels of land in the Hayden Station/Pond Road area.

The last person was buried in the cemetery in 1954. Other than the stone that was set for Mr. & Mrs. Archer, the rest of the graves in the cemetery are unmarked. In 1994, a memorial was installed listing the names of early congregants known to be interred there, as well as acknowledging those whose identities are unknown.

Sandy Archer’s contributions to Windsor’s A.M.E. Zion Church and the Hayden Station neighborhood led to the church being named in his honor. In 1994, the road separating the church and its historic cemetery—where Archer, his wife, and early church members are buried—was

named “Archer Road” in his memory. The cemetery is now located at 789T Archer Road and the beautiful pine grove still exists.

This site is privately owned and not open to the public.

This is one of six Freedom Trail sites in Windsor.