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African-American Cemetery (Montgomery, New York)
Encyclopedia
The African-American Cemetery
, known historically as the Colored Cemetery, in the Town of Montgomery
, New York
, United States, holds the grave
s of roughly 100, mostly believed to be African
slaves who were brought over by the earliest settler
s of the region from the Rhenish Palatinate in the mid-18th century. It is located on NY 416
0.1 mile (160 m) north of the Interstate 84
crossing, near the Wallkill River
.
All the originally marked graves that have been identified have had the stones used to mark them supplemented with small pipe
s. Only two have any kind of discernible inscription, one of which dates its occupant's passing to 1756.
The site had grown neglected until the town and private donors undertook to fix it up in the early 1990s. It was fully restored and rededicated, with a new wooden fence and explanatory plaque
, in 1995. It was then added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
, known historically as the Colored Cemetery, in the Town of Montgomery
Montgomery (town), New York
Montgomery is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 20,891 at the 2000 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States, holds the grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
s of roughly 100, mostly believed to be African
African people
African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":...
slaves who were brought over by the earliest settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s of the region from the Rhenish Palatinate in the mid-18th century. It is located on NY 416
New York State Route 416
New York State Route 416 is a state highway located entirely within the towns of Hamptonburgh and Montgomery in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It does not intersect any other state routes besides those at its termini, nor pass through any settlements...
0.1 mile (160 m) north of the Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in New York
Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
crossing, near the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
.
All the originally marked graves that have been identified have had the stones used to mark them supplemented with small pipe
Pipe (material)
A pipe is a tubular section or hollow cylinder, usually but not necessarily of circular cross-section, used mainly to convey substances which can flow — liquids and gases , slurries, powders, masses of small solids...
s. Only two have any kind of discernible inscription, one of which dates its occupant's passing to 1756.
The site had grown neglected until the town and private donors undertook to fix it up in the early 1990s. It was fully restored and rededicated, with a new wooden fence and explanatory plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
, in 1995. It was then added to 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...
.