Old Sloatsburg Cemetery
Encyclopedia
The Old Sloatsburg Cemetery is located at the end of Richard Street in Sloatsburg
, New York, United States. It began as the Sloat family cemetery with the burial of Revolutionary War
casualty John Sloat in 1781. After a half-century of inactivity, it gradually was expanded to include 1,200 graves by the time of the last burial in 1949.
Its landscaping reflects several different eras of cemetery design. In the late 20th century, it became neglected and abandoned other than a few family plots that were maintained by those families. Residents of Sloatsburg organized a cleanup effort in the mid-1990s, which led to the cemetery's listing on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999. It continues to be maintained as a community effort.
. The land slopes slightly westward, to a wooded hillside to the west, with a drum-shaped rise in the east where the members of the Sloat family are buried. A gravel road from Eagle Valley leads into the northeast corner of the cemetery, leading first to a circle around the Sloat graves, then heading west to a smaller circle in the Waldron section of the cemetery, near the more recent gravesites, connecting with a dirt path from the end of Richards Road, the only other public access point. Three copses of trees are located throughout the otherwise open lot.
The Sloat family's section is a raised area 20 feet (6.1 m) above grade at the cemetery's eastern boundary. There are 30 gravestones here, starting with John Sloat's in 1781. The rest date from 1838 onward.
To its west is a section known as "The Hill", with 72 stones dating to 1852, probably the date it was opened. They are laid out in a strict grid pattern of 20 by plots. The gently undulating ground, winding roadway and groves show the influence of the mid-19th century Rural Cemetery Movement.
Continuing westward, two sections expanded in the early 20th century maintain the grid pattern but are much more level. The westernmost section of the cemetery, named the Waldron section after a local funeral director
who oversaw much of the graves dug here in the second quarter of the 20th century, has four mausolea
typical of that era. One memorializes a teenage girl who died in 1933 as a "martyr to the automobile age". Some section terraces nearby may have been meant for future expansions.
wound down, John Sloat was accidentally shot and killed near the family home
by one of the sentries his father had hired. He was buried on the knoll that is now the family's section of the cemetery. His infant son John D. Sloat
would eventually become the first Governor of California.
No other Sloats are known to have been buried with John until 1832. The cemetery remained strictly a Sloat family burial ground until 1852, when other members of the growing community joined them. A quarter-century later, in 1878, the Sloatsburg Cemetery Association was formed to manage the cemetery, no longer under family control. The next year it bought the 2.7 acres (1.1 ha) Hill Section from another local family and began selling individual gravesites rather than family plots.
The association transferred the original section back to William Sloat in 1896. A decade later, in 1906, and again in 1912, it bought two acres mores to the west from another family. Local funeral director Warren Waldron bought the last parcel, on the west side, and began dividing it into plots. The association made its last lot sale in 1936 and disbanded. Waldron's, and the cemetery's, last burial took place in 1949.
With no one to look after it, the cemetery reverted to the Town of Ramapo
, which includes Sloatsburg. Some families continued to maintain their plots, but as a whole the cemetery fell into overgrown disrepair, with some headstone
s
vandalized
and even stolen. It is believed that at least 600 graves remain unmarked. After nearly a half-century of this, the village organized a community cleanup effort in the mid-90s and has kept it up ever since.
Sloatsburg, New York
Sloatsburg is a village in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located east of Orange County, New York and sits at the southern entrance to Harriman State Park. The population was 3,117 at the 2000 census...
, New York, United States. It began as the Sloat family cemetery with the burial of Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
casualty John Sloat in 1781. After a half-century of inactivity, it gradually was expanded to include 1,200 graves by the time of the last burial in 1949.
Its landscaping reflects several different eras of cemetery design. In the late 20th century, it became neglected and abandoned other than a few family plots that were maintained by those families. Residents of Sloatsburg organized a cleanup effort in the mid-1990s, which led to the cemetery's listing on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1999. It continues to be maintained as a community effort.
Property
The cemetery occupies a rectangular 5 acres (2 ha) parcel in the western section of the village, south of Eagle Valley Road and a short distance west of NY 17New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
. The land slopes slightly westward, to a wooded hillside to the west, with a drum-shaped rise in the east where the members of the Sloat family are buried. A gravel road from Eagle Valley leads into the northeast corner of the cemetery, leading first to a circle around the Sloat graves, then heading west to a smaller circle in the Waldron section of the cemetery, near the more recent gravesites, connecting with a dirt path from the end of Richards Road, the only other public access point. Three copses of trees are located throughout the otherwise open lot.
The Sloat family's section is a raised area 20 feet (6.1 m) above grade at the cemetery's eastern boundary. There are 30 gravestones here, starting with John Sloat's in 1781. The rest date from 1838 onward.
To its west is a section known as "The Hill", with 72 stones dating to 1852, probably the date it was opened. They are laid out in a strict grid pattern of 20 by plots. The gently undulating ground, winding roadway and groves show the influence of the mid-19th century Rural Cemetery Movement.
Continuing westward, two sections expanded in the early 20th century maintain the grid pattern but are much more level. The westernmost section of the cemetery, named the Waldron section after a local funeral director
Funeral director
A funeral director , also known as a mortician or undertaker, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the planning and arrangement of the actual funeral ceremony...
who oversaw much of the graves dug here in the second quarter of the 20th century, has four mausolea
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
typical of that era. One memorializes a teenage girl who died in 1933 as a "martyr to the automobile age". Some section terraces nearby may have been meant for future expansions.
History
In 1781, as the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
wound down, John Sloat was accidentally shot and killed near the family home
Sloat House
The Sloat House is located at the corner of NY 17 and Sterling Avenue in Sloatsburg, New York, United States. It is a stone house, dating to the mid-18th century, with a frame front addition built in the 1810s....
by one of the sentries his father had hired. He was buried on the knoll that is now the family's section of the cemetery. His infant son John D. Sloat
John D. Sloat
John Drake Sloat was a commodore in the United States Navy who, in 1846, claimed California for the United States.-Life:...
would eventually become the first Governor of California.
No other Sloats are known to have been buried with John until 1832. The cemetery remained strictly a Sloat family burial ground until 1852, when other members of the growing community joined them. A quarter-century later, in 1878, the Sloatsburg Cemetery Association was formed to manage the cemetery, no longer under family control. The next year it bought the 2.7 acres (1.1 ha) Hill Section from another local family and began selling individual gravesites rather than family plots.
The association transferred the original section back to William Sloat in 1896. A decade later, in 1906, and again in 1912, it bought two acres mores to the west from another family. Local funeral director Warren Waldron bought the last parcel, on the west side, and began dividing it into plots. The association made its last lot sale in 1936 and disbanded. Waldron's, and the cemetery's, last burial took place in 1949.
With no one to look after it, the cemetery reverted to the Town of Ramapo
Ramapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
, which includes Sloatsburg. Some families continued to maintain their plots, but as a whole the cemetery fell into overgrown disrepair, with some headstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
s
vandalized
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
and even stolen. It is believed that at least 600 graves remain unmarked. After nearly a half-century of this, the village organized a community cleanup effort in the mid-90s and has kept it up ever since.