Bethel Cemetery Gateway

This piece presents a rare 19th-century photograph of the entrance to Bethel Cemetery and Chapel in Croton-on-Hudson, part of a collection documented by filmmaker and historian Ken Sargeant from the Ossining Historical Society.

The image, dating to approximately 1860-1870, depicts a wooden gateway that once welcomed visitors to the property. The dirt road visible in the photograph follows the same path as the current driveway on Old Albany Post Road. Several gravestones, particularly two obelisks, remain recognizable in the scene.

The property had been enclosed by fencing since at least 1831, as documented in Philip Van Cortlandt's will codicil. Van Cortlandt bequeathed the land "to be used for a burying place" and stipulated that "the Meeting House and the Fences are kept in good Order and Repair."

Both Bethel Chapel and Cemetery and the nearby Asbury United Methodist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The article also references The Graven Images of Bethel Cemetery by Carl Oechsner and Howie Meyers, available through the Croton Friends of History website.