Actually…more than any other in New York State.
Local legend has it that After the Battle
of Saratoga in 1777, about 100 soldiers bodies were loaded like “cord
wood” on wagons and brought to Salem for burial in one common grave in
this cemetery. In fact, the cemetery contains documented burials
of 101 Revolutionary War soldiers. Consequently, this cemetery probably
holds the greatest number of Revolutionary War soldiers in New York
State, not just Washington County. Overall, 1034 engraved tombstones are found here. Among the
stones can be found 32 early American carvings of the rounded angel
head style of Zerubbabel Collins of Shaftsbury, Vermont.
In 1810 A stone wall was erected to protect the cemetery from vandalism
and the theft of gravestones. A cemetery supervisor was hired to manage
the use of the cemetery.
In 1933, outside the cemetery
walls, the town and State of New York erected a monument in memory of
the Revolutionary War soldiers buried here. Kyle Hunter at the Salem Hardware store says it’s not uncommon to have
visitors come in looking for chalk so they can make impressions of the
gravestones. Even if you’re not that enthusiastic about your history,
this is a beautiful and historic cemetery to see.
The
cemetery is located next to the Fair Grounds on Archibald Street in the
village of Salem. The cemetery is currently being mapped and the graves
identified and indexed through a student Learn and Serve Grant,
sponsored by Salem Washington Academy.
