One of the Oldest Cemeteries in Central New York Needs Your Help

A serene oasis has been letting visitors step back in time for over a century. Now, it needs the community's help to preserve its fascinating history for the next generation.

It's one of the oldest cemeteries in Central New York, let alone the state. This non-sectarian cemetery spans 166 acres and has peacefully overlooked the City of Utica since 1850.

Forest Hill Cemetery, which lays behind a massive Gothic gate, is securely tucked between the Utica Zoo and Roscoe Conkling Park. This landmark is the final resting place of a vice president and Revolutionary War heroes.

It also turns 175-years-old this summer.

Big Plans to Celebrate Forest Hill's Major Milestone

Alecia Pendasulo, board member of Forest Hill Cemetery Preservation Foundation, joined Keeler on WIBX to discuss all the exciting plans that get underway starting this spring.

There will be several events designed to let the public "re-fall in love with the cemetary," said Pendasulo.  While the cemetery turns the big 1-7-5 on June 14, the first celebratory event is set for April 19th.

Forest Hill was selected to be part of the Being Human Festival, which is hosted by the National Humanities Center. The cemetery was among the 16 national landmarks selected to participate this year.

"We're very excited to be featured," Pendasulo explained. "We'll be doing walking tours [with local historians and experts]. We'll have snacks. We're going to do art stations to let the public do rubbings on some of the headstones."

There will also be art installations, historical interpretation stations, and the opportunity to participate in a digital project about landmarks.

She invites everyone, no matter their age, to the event and reconnect with their local history. She also hopes it sparks the community's desire to preserve the historic landmark - more specifically a chapel where all have been welcome for over 100 years.

Read More: What Happened to the First School to Open in Utica?

Future events include a family-friendly scavenger hunt on May 18, in honor of International Museum Day. Families are invited to bring their young children from 10AM to 2PM for this educational and engaging event, where kids will be challenged to locate the final resting places of the cemetery's most notable residents.

There will also be a large celebration on the cemetery's 175th anniversary on June 14. More details will be released in the coming weeks.

The Push to Preserve Child's Chapel

Officially called the Silas D. Child’s Chapel, Pendasulo says it was constructed between 1868 and 1869 by Roxanna Child "to honor her husband, who had recently passed away."

They were honestly a wonderful couple. They founded the Professorship of Agriculture at Hamilton College. They were abolitionists. They helped open and fund a lot of our mills.

The Childs also donated the chapel to the cemetery and ensured it would "be free to use to the public in perpetuity," said Pendasulo. "If you wanted to have a funeral and you didn't want to have it at a church, you could have it there at no cost."

The structure was built "with local sandstone and it's got beautiful stained glass windows made by a man who was also from Utica," Pendasulo continued.

And this is where she hopes the community steps in and helps preserve the structure so future generations can continue using it.

Pendasulo said the Board is trying to raise $150,000 for preservation work, which would include restoring the stone, sealing cracks to prevent moisture from building up, plus other work to preserve the structure's beauty and longevity - all while satisfying the state's stringent requirements for preserving historical landmarks.

"New York State will be paying attention to whatever we're doing," said Pendasulo, adding the state had awarded them a grant for $392,000 to begin restoration efforts. 

Notable Individuals Buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica

One of the main reasons why Pendasulo is looking forward to the cemetery's 175th birthday is the opportunity for the public to meet the plethora of historic figures at their final resting place.

Famous residents include Colonel Benjamin Walker, who fought alongside General George Washington in the Revolutionary War, and Jedediah Sanger, Oneida County's first judge and founder of New Hartford and Sangerfield.

The cemetery is also the burial site of James S. Sherman, the Vice President under William Howard Taft, from 1909 to 1912. Sherman died in office and was buried at Forest Hills - as was his wife, Carrie Babcock Sherman.

For sports fans, fans can find the headstone of Art Mills, who coached the Detroit Tigers during their World Series-winning run in 1945. He also famously coached Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams during the MLB All-Star Team in 1946.

Another notable figure, for the food lovers, is Chauncey Goodrich. Pendasulo revealed, "He's the founder of the modern russet potato and he grew it here!"

These names are just a handful of the list of famous figures that can be found at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Those interested in preserving the grounds can visit Forest Hill Cemetery's official website or can obtain a tax deductible form by calling 315-735-2701 or by emailing FHC1850@Gmail.com.

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