Forgotten Graveyard

Planted April 16, 2009
Modified November 22, 2010

Tuxedo, NY
Orange County

*** Logbook removed will be replaced ***

The Box is planted on Route 17 in Tuxedo, NY.

I am not sure if there is anything that attracts a planters attention more than an overgrown forgotten cemetery - I had been driving by this particular one for months on Route 17 in Tuxedo – then one day like a bee attracted to an open can of Soda at a picnic I HAD TO pull over to take a look – and what an odd little graveyard it turned out to be! Very overgrown – trees in fact growing - Apparently it's in the hands of the parks department – No Name, no Historical signage - Some restoration done but with odd materials stone crosses and what appeared at one time to be a cross of something like bathroom tile??? The majority of the stones are quite old, some giving birth locations in “the old country” the names are Irish, Italian, and Polish…. One Obelisk had a fresh candle that had been burned on it Teenagers or Voodoo practitioners or Halloween prank? Who knows…? But I knew one thing I thought,

“I LOVE THIS GRAVEYARD IT’S SO WEIRD!”

So I tried to do some historical research with little to no luck This graveyard may or may not have been associated with a now moved or defunct parish called “St. Mary’s on the hill” - The presence of our Lady by one of the crosses … makes me fairly certain that it had a Catholic association but I have not been able to get any confirmation from the town historian on it. The latest internment I could locate was in the 1940’s Someone had put plastic Christmas flowers on a stone with a death date in the 1920’s but when were these flowers placed? It’s truly one of those slightly spooky, forgotten little Graveyards visited (I imagine) only by taphophiles, historians, the parks department to mow (God willing) and letterboxers:

To The Box:

This graveyard is easy to drive past!!!

The graveyard itself sits over a vault and is directly on Route 17 in the vicinity of Tuxedo (of course I could not find it on any map) there is only room to pull about one car off the road a bit past the cemetery if you are coming from the direction of Woodbury/Bear Mt it’s on your right After a sign for Harriman State Park and Arden Road (on your left) - If you are coming from the direction of Jersey/Hillburn/Sloatsburg Just keep your eyes peeled looking for the cemetery on the left side of the road after the town of Tuxedo Look for a sign for Harriman State Park and Arden Valley Road which will be on your right. Coming from that direction I think you will be best off turning around to park on the same side of the road as the cemetery….

Once in the cemetery find the Black Obelisk Monument of Margaret Sweeney who Died on Aug 4th 1882 at age 15 years. Facing this data look to your left for a “double” stone that looks a lot like a Headboard. From that stone about nine steps forward find the stone that simply says “The Sovinski Family” In front of you slightly to the right is a tree with a lot of rocks around its base. Go around this tree looking down you should see a large stone that makes up the roof of the tomb of the letterbox. The stone that needs to be rolled away has a potato shape and quality about it. Move that stone and a few more to reveal the resting place of the letterbox. After Stamping in please replace the rocks and put the potato shaped one back at the tomb entrance to be rolled away by the next finder.

If you know anything about this graveyard and can help me with some history I would love to hear from you! UPDATE: I got this information from the town historian - This Cemetery is known as St. Mary's on the Hill or St. Mary Alden. Time frames of burials: 1830-1949. The Roman Catholic Church was demolished in 1957.

THERE IS NO INK IN THE BOX PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN - BLACK IS BEST FOR THIS IMAGE.
PLEASE REHIDE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND THE BOX FOR THE SANITY OF THE PLANTER
AND THE ENJOYMENT OF THE NEXT FINDER…

Record your find at LbNA or AQ.

CYA ON THE TRAIL!!!!
MushrooM :o)