The Old Burying Ground
The original acre of land set aside as a cemetery by the Puritans who settled Southold, The Old Burying Ground (OBG) is located in the Cemetery’s northwest corner. As the oldest surviving colonial cemetery in New York, the OBG has some twenty graves dating from the 17th century. They include the oldest colonial grave on Long Island: the box tomb of William Wells, dated 1671. The OBG showcases slate and sandstone gravestones carved by the best of the early New England stonecutters. Their work constitutes a unique early American folk art that flowered from about 1680 to 1810. Stones sport grim winged death’s heads and more hopeful-looking soul effigies, revealing the religion and attitudes of the times. Interested in more information about the OBG's gravestones?
Click Here to view a Guide to the Old Burying Ground.
Tours are available!
Self-guided. A visitor seeking a self-guided tour to the OBG will find a helpful brochure in the holder on one of the entrance pillars on Main Rd.
Docent-guided. The Southold Library periodically conducts on-site tours of the OBG. Please call the Library for a schedule (631-765-2077).
PRESERVING THE OLD BURYING GROUND
The Old Burying Ground needs your help! It amounts to an outdoor museum of irreplaceable stones, all antiques that just happen to live outdoors. Time and weather have battered the headstones for close to four centuries. Let’s rescue them before it’s too late!
For the past 10 years, the Church’s Cemetery Committee, with the help of a professional conservator and volunteers, has overseen an intensive project to preserve its gravestones. Some thousand stones have been cleaned; many have been straightened, re-erected, reassembled, and re-pointed. The work continues.
Preservation means fundraising. Past generous supporters include the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the Charles and Helen Reichert Family Foundation, and donations from individual donors from all over the country.
HOW TO DONATE
Your donation will be put to good use in preserving this vital piece of New York’s history. Please make your check out to Southold’s Old Burying Ground and send it to: First Presbyterian Church of Southold, P.O. Box 787, Southold, N.Y. 11971. Or you may use a credit card to donate on this website. Your generous donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. 100% of your donation will be used for the work of preservation. Thank you!
TO VOLUNTEER
The Cemetery welcomes volunteers. Volunteers clean headstones, weed gardens, water new plantings and more. For more information or to volunteer, please email oldburyingground@gmail.com.
