Many towns across New York State will be offering walking tours of cemeteries during October.
All month
*Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (Westchester County) will offer a “Washington Irving Walking Tour” on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am and 1 p.m. Meet the father of the American short story on this one-hour tour. Learn all about Washington Irving, his impact on American Literature and the enduring appeal of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
The cost is $15. To register, go to: https://www.showclix.com/event/the-original-knickerbocker-tour-2023
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery will also offer a Latern Tour every Friday and Saturday night in October. Step back in time and explore the cemetery by kerosene lantern light. You’ll visit titans of industry like Andrew Carnegie and William Rockefeller, meet Washington Irving whose famous short story gave Sleepy Hollow its name, and see the resting place of two-term Chicago Mayor Walter Gurnee.
The cost is $45. To register, go to: https://www.showclix.com/event/classic-evening-lantern-tour-2023
*Green-Wood Cemetery (Kings County) will offer Green-Wood After Hours Fridays and Saturdays in October as well as on October 31. Explore the cemetery’s historic grounds under the cover of night. You’ll weave through the Cemetery’s stunning landscape and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American history. This walking tour ends with a visit to the Catacombs, which are normally closed to the public. Tickets are $30 per person or $25 per person for members.
To register, go to: https://www.green-wood.com/calendar/month/2023-10/ and click on the date you are interested in.
October 1-7, 2023
*Cold Spring Harbor Museum (Suffolk County) will host a tour of the St. John’s Memorial Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 and 3 p.m. Get acquainted with some of St. John’s Cemetery’s permanent residents and discover the fascinating burial customs of the Victorian era, such as the intriguing practice of post-mortem photography. Meet at the cemetery. Cost is $15 per person or $10 per person for members.
To register, go to: https://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/walking-tours1.html
*Explore Buffalo will offer a tours of Concordia Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. each day. Concordia Cemetery was founded in 1859 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in Western New York. This walking tour of Concordia Cemetery will share the history of the cemetery and the stories of some of the incredible individuals and families buried there, including Lura Bennett, Glenn Brooks, Johnetta Cole, John McHugh, Sgt. William Moeller, and Rosa Lumpkin.
Cost is $18 for adults and $8 for students. To register, go to: https://explorebuffalo.org/specialty/concordia-cemetery/
*The Spirits of Sodus Walk and Talk Cemetery Tour (Wayne County) will take place at the Baptist Rural Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 7 from 6-9 p.m. Walk through the cemetery and learn/meet important people in the history of Sodus. There is no charge. For more information, call 315-573-2972.
*The 6th Annual South Farmington Friends Cemetery Foundation Cemetery Tour (Ontario County) will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. Historical figures will be roaming the grounds to talk about their lives and roles in the history of the town of Farmington. New residents are added to the tour for this year. Tickets are $15 an can be purchased at Town Hall or the Farmington LNB Bank. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the historic chapel.
*There will be tours of the Old Dutch Church Cemetery in Kingston (Ulster County) on Saturdays, Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 7 p.m. Travel back to October 1777 and meet six historic women that survived the Burning of Kingston. Their personal stories will give you a different perspective on our history. The one hour tour is $15 for adults, $10 for students and $8 for seniors.
To purchase tickets go to: https://www.livinghistoryny.com/2021-tours
A tour of the cemetery will be free on Oct. 14 as part of the Burning of Kingston weekend. For more information, go to: https://www.burningofkingston.com/schedule-of-events
*The 18th Annual Saints and Sinners Cemetery Tour (Chautauqua County) will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown on Oct. 7 from 2-3:45 p.m. and on Oct. 14 from 5-7:45 p.m. Your guide uncovers some of the over 43,000 personal stories that are hidden within Lake View Cemetery of Jamestown. These tours change yearly; no two tours will ever be the same.
Tickets are available through the Fenton History Center. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Children tickets are $2. To purchase tickets, go to: https://fentonhistorycenter.org/
*The Onondaga Historical Association will present a tour of Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. each day. Actors in costume portray individuals from Onondaga County’s past. The “ghosts” reveal their lives in 12 to 15 minute vignettes, giving personal insight to those who have preceded us. Reservations are $15 for the general public and $12 for members.
To register, go to: https://www.cnyhistory.org/tours/ghostwalk/
*Explore Buffalo will offer a tour of Holy Cross Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. Irish immigrants and their descendants helped transform the city from a tiny village to a booming city. Some were scoundrels, some were heroes, but all contributed to the growth of Buffalo. Hear their stories and see the carved monuments that mark their final resting places while strolling through historic Holy Cross Cemetery.
Cost is $18 for adults and $8 for students. To register, go to: https://explorebuffalo.org/specialty/holy-cross-cemetery-walking-tour/
October 8-14, 2023
Historic Geneva will offer a tour of Glenwood Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 8 from 2-3 p.m. The tour is centered around section 20 of Glenwood Cemetery. It will focus on members of the Syrian community who lived in Geneva in the 20th century. There will be a discussion of international incidents on the local Syrian community, while sharing the stories of the Syrian families who came to call Geneva home. Cost is $5. For more information, go to: https://historicgeneva.org/calendar-of-events/glenwood-cemetery-tour/?mc_id=276290
*The Lansingburgh Historical Society (Rensselaer County) will present a tour of Oakwood Cemetery in Troy on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 9 am to noon. Tour the resting places of Lansignburgh’s pre-Revolutionary War family as well as the business people, brush makers, boat builders, brewers and more who made Lansingburgh a commercial powerhouse. Many remain in the Village Burial Ground but many families choose to move into Oakwood Cemetery after it opened in 1850.
For more information, go to: https://www.oakwoodcemetery.org/events
*The Jefferson County Historical Society will offer a walking tour of the Brookside Cemetery in Watertown on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $12 for members and $15 for non-members. To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brookside-cemetery-tour-tickets-718672337307?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete or the day of the event.
*The Saratoga Springs History Museum will present a History and Symbolism Tour of Greenridge Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The tour will stop by notable gravesites and discuss the history of the symbols found on the gravestones, monuments and mausoleums. It is limited to 25 participants. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. To register, go to: https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-history-symbolism-of-greenridge-cemete-tickets-142665
October 15-21, 2023
*Haunting in the Hamlet will take place at the Marion Cemetery (Wayne County) on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The tour is focused on local history as interpreted by costumed interpreters. Tour groups of 12 people or less leave every 15-minutes from 6:30 to 8 pm. Reservations are required. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children.
To register, go to: https://www.mhany.org/event-details/the-haunting-in-the-hamlet
*Meet the Spirits Cemetery Tour (Wayne County) will take place on Oct. 21 from 6:30-9:15 p.m. at the Lakeview Cemetery in Pultneyville. Stroll through Pultneyville’s Lakeview Cemetery and meet friendly spirits from the area’s historic past. Learn about this cast of characters, who were instrumental in carving out the town’s early history, from their final resting place in this historic Pultneyville cemetery.
Reservations are required by Oct. 19. To register, call 315.589.9892 and leave your name, number with area code, preferred tour time and number in party. Reservations will be on a first-come, first-served basis until tours are filled. Tickets to be paid for at time of check-in at Lakeview Cemetery. Ticket prices: 18+ $12; ages 6-17 $8; children 5 and under free.
*Fredonia Harvest Moon Festival will offer tours of the Fredonia Cemetery on Oct. 20 and 21 from 7:15 -10:15 p.m. There will be actors from the Main Street Studio and several new scenes will be added into this year’s tour, which is themed “The Mothers of our Community” and celebrates the roles women have played in Fredonia’s unique history. Cost is $10.
To register, go to: https://festivalsfredoniany.org/harvest-moon-festival-tours/
*The Friends of Woodland Cemetery in Delhi (Delaware County) will host a free tour of Woodland Cemetery’s Art and Iconography on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. The tour will include interpretation of gravestone symbols and their meanings, insights into the artistic techniques and cultural influences that shaped these gravestones; an exploration of the lives and legacies of the individuals memorialized here. Even though it is free, you will need to reserve a spot by sending an email to friends@woodlandcemeterydelhi.org.
*There will be a Candlelight Ghostwalk at Historic Batavia Cemetery (Genessee County) on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 7-8:30 p.m. Meet the famous and infamous movers and shakers who shaped and influenced the City of Batavia during a one hour candlelight tour through the cemetery. The guided tour on candlelit paths will bring guests to meet men and women of Batavia, who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day, were victims of tragic events, or both.
Tickets are $15.00 per person; reservations are required. Proceeds benefit the restoration and upkeep of the cemetery. For information call, 585-943-5662 or go to: http://bataviacemetery.org/ghost-walk-2023/
October 22-30, 2023
Historic Geneva will be offering a tour of St. Patrick’s Cemetery on Sunday, Oct. 22 from 2-3 p.m. There will be a guided tour of select burials in sections 1 and 2 near North Street. The cemetery is associated with St. Francis de Sales RC Church and the burials include many Italian and Irish immigrants and their descendants. Cost is $5 per person. For more information, go to: https://historicgeneva.org/calendar-of-events/tour-of-st-patricks-cemetery/?mc_id=276295
Johnstown Historical Society (Fulton County) will host tours of the Johnstown Colonial Cemetery on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 pm and Sunday, Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m. Meet the cemetery “residents” and learn about their history and connections to Johnstown, lore and stories, and maybe some tales of the supernatural.
No advance registration is needed. Stop in the Drumm House Gift Shop to check in no later then 5 minutes prior to the tour start time. Tickets are $5 per person payable in cash or by paypal at check in. All proceeds benefit the Johnstown Historical Society.
*The Phelps Mansion will host a walking tour of Spring Forest Cemetery (Broome County) in Binghamton on Saturday, Oct. 28 and Sunday, Oct. 29 at 9:30 a.m. This tour will specifically talk about the symbolism found on many of the monuments in the cemetery. Tickets are $8 for members and $10 for non-members.
To purchase tickets, go to: https://phelpsmansion.org/default-events-page/cemetery-symbolism/
*Tales from the Crypts will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 12-1:30 p.m. at the Cedar Park Cemetery in Hudson. The Hudson Cemetery includes over 10,000 grave sites for a wide range of interesting and notable individuals, including the proprietors, war heroes, famous artists, paragons of industry, disaster survivors and much more. Learn about the history of the original cemetery, more recent history as well as its current layout.
Donations are not required but will used support the archiving of the Hudson Area Library History Room collection. Registration is required and on a first come first serve basis. Participation is limited to 45 participants. Email brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org.
*There will be a walking tour of the Old Stone Fort Cemetery in Schoharie on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. It will begin in the fort itself, originally a church, at the first burial – Johannes Schuyler, the first Dutch minister ordained in America. The tour will continue to the monument for the incorruptible captor of Major Andre – the thrice buried David Williams. Other notables include Civil War nurse Catherine Lawrence and Ed Scribner, who designed and built the sound amplifiers for the world’s first open air talking pictures first held on Main Street, Schoharie. Donations will be accepted. For more information, call (518) 295-7192.
*The 8th Annual Oswego Town Rural Cemetery Ghost and History Storytelling Tour will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 2 – 6:30 p.m. Stories of local legends and spirits will return with a live performance by SUNY Oswego’s storytelling class. It is free but you need to register by emailing jonel.langenfeldrial@oswego.edu.
*The Virgil Town Historian, Marsha Powell, will lead Virgil’s (Cortland County) fourth annual Cemetery Walk. Meet at the Virgil Town Hall, 1176 Chuech Street on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m., rain or shine. Tour the Virgil Rural Cemetery and the Pioneer Cemetery to learn about the history of cemeteries and burials. There will be discussion about the symbolism used on some of the headstones and stories about past Virgil residents. A donation of $5 will help support the Virgil Historical Society.
