“The Vale,” as it was founded during the Rural Cemetery Movement as inner-city burying grounds were filling-up. America’s first rural cemetery of the style began in 1831 at Mt. Auburn Cemetery near Boston.
In Schenectady about 1850, the old public burying ground in the Stockade (located at present day Front and Green streets) was in an unsanitary condition.
In 1856, the Common Council concluded the land known as the Hospital Farm, off Nott Terrace (a 38-acre plot), then a rural area outside the city, would be a suitable site for a public cemetery.
On June 2, 1857, Mayor Benjamin V.S. Veeder was authorized to oversee the road grading and tree planting for the new cemetery. Burton Thomas and John Doyle designed a park-like landscape with pastoral vistas. More than 1,000 trees of various species were planted.
Vale Cemetery was dedicated on October 21, 1857, by Rev. Julius Seelye. The first burial was that of a four-year-old child, Noah Vibbard Van Vorst, on November 9, 1857. Today there are more than 33, 000 people buried in Vale’s 100 acres.
Clean-up Planned
On Saturday, April 26, 2025 Vale Cemetery will take part in Caring For Your Cemetery, a statewide event to encourage appreciation for cemeteries and to encourage volunteerism. This is the second year of the program and Vale will participate for the first time by inviting the public to volunteer for a Cemetery clean-up day.
The event will run from 10 am until 1 pm. Participants will meet by the Caretaker’s Cottage at the Cemetery’s State Street gate and help pick up litter, rake leaves, clear branches, and otherwise give the Cemetery a spring cleaning.
Volunteers are asked to please bring work gloves, rakes (plastic only to protect the headstones), trash bags and long-handled trash grabbers, leaf blowers, plastic paint scrapers and spray bottles of water. The Cemetery will provide some tools as well.
Volunteers are also asked to dress for the weather, bring water, and wear appropriate footwear for working outdoors.
Updates will be posted Vale’s Facebook Page and anyone interested in volunteering is asked to RSVP by email to vale@valecemetery.org.
More information about Caring For Your Cemetery Day can be found on the NYS Division of Cemeteries website.
Photo: Some of the oldest graves at Vale Cemetery, dating back to the early 18th century (provided by Vale Cemetery).
Source link
