Frequently asked questions

Q. Where can I find the Headless Horseman, Katrina Van Tassell, and Ichabod Crane?
A. At your local library or favorite book store. Washington Irving is reputed to have populated The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with fictional characters patterned after local residents, some of whom are now interred in the colonial-era burying ground that surrounds the Old Dutch Church. A guide booklet to the Old Dutch Burying Ground identifies the resting places of those individuals. Find the booklet at the museum shop at Philipsburg Manor historic site (http://www.hudsonvalley.org/philipsburg/index.htm) across Route 9 from the church. Irving himself is buried at the southern end of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, overlooking the Old Dutch Church and its burying ground.

Q. The Old Dutch Church and its burying ground are not part of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery?
A. Though not marked by a distinguishable border, they are in fact a separate property. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery of about 85 acres, surrounds the roughly 3 acre Old Dutch Burying Ground and church. The Old Dutch Burying Ground and Old Dutch Church belong to The Reformed Church of Tarrytown (http://www.rctodc.org), located at 42 North Broadway in Tarrytown. That building, too, is historic, dating to 1837. The congregation uses both locations, so please be respectful of services and ceremonies.

Q. In addition to Irving, what other famous figures are at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery?
A. Andrew Carnegie, Walter Chrysler, Elizabeth Arden, William Rockefeller, Samuel Gompers, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Jasper Francis Cropsey, Henry Sloan Coffin, Robert Havell, Mark Hellinger, Edward "Major" Bowes, Whitelaw Reid, Henry Villard, Oswald Garrison Villard, Hans Zinsser, Joseph Urban, and others. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery’s own guide book is due in print in the spring of 2005. E-mail us at publications@sleepyhollowcemetery.org for more information on the guide book.

Q. What about Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott,
and Bronson Alcott?
A. Right name, wrong state. Thoreau, Hawthorne, Emerson, and the Alcotts are buried a newer cemetery of the same name in Concord, Massachusetts (http://www.concordnet.org/Pages/ConcordMA_Cemetery/sleepy).

Q. Are tour groups permitted in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and the Old Dutch Burying Ground?
A. Both grounds are open to the public, but large groups should make appropriate arrangements in advance. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery’s office (914-631-0081) may be contacted Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., except major holidays. For the Old Dutch Church and its burying ground, contact the Reformed Church of Tarrytown (914-631-4497). A small parking area is located just inside Sleepy Hollow Cemetery’s south gate, adjacent to the Old Dutch Church. Be aware that the gates are closed and locked at 4:30 p.m. In both properties, please be respectful of funerals and those who are visiting loved-ones. At the Old Dutch Church, please be respectful of services and ceremonies.

Q. What other historic sites are nearby? Where can I find lodging and meals?
A. Chamber of Commerce of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown (http://www.sleepyhollowchamber.com), Historic Hudson Valley (http://www.hudsonvalley.org), Historic River Towns of Westchester (http://hudsonriver.com).

Q. What plantings are permitted at the cemetery?
A. Contact the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery office (914-631-0081) for information on what may be planted in your lot. Only a lot’s owner may arrange for plantings or other memorials.

Q. How do I find information about family lots or trace genealogy?
A. Contact the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery office during office hours with inquiries on family lots or interment information on specific individuals. Inquiries regarding interments at the Old Dutch Burying Ground should be directed to the Reformed Church of Tarrytown (www.rctodc.org). If you seek more detailed information for your family history, see our list of local and regional government agencies that keep vital statistics.

Q. Where can I find a map of the cemetery?
A. Visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery office during business hours. On weekends and holidays find maps outside the cemetery office and at the cemetery's south gate adjacent to the Old Dutch Church.

Q. Are lots available in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery?
A. Yes, single and family lots are available, as are a few mausoleum sites. You can start by taking a look at our Community Mausoleum page and then contacting the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery office during office hours.

Q. Is stone rubbing permitted in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery or the Old Dutch Burying Ground?
A. No, rubbing is not permitted in either location. Wax or marker material can contaminate the surface of grave markers and accelerate their deterioration. The abrasion of repeated rubbings can further erode features.

Q. May I take photographs?
A. Photography of landscape and architectural designs for personal use is permitted. In an effort to protect the privacy of our lot owners, the use of movie cameras, video, and live models is prohibited. Photographs for publication or commercial use is prohibited. Please be respectful of funerals and those who are visiting loved-ones.

Q. It looks like a walking trail and park border the cemetery. What are they and can I visit them?
A. Across the Pocantico River from the southern end of the cemetery is the village of Sleepy Hollow’s Douglas Park. North and east are two New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation properties: Rockefeller State Park Preserve (914-333-0102; www.friendsrock.org) and the Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park (914-693-4117; www.aqueduct.org). Maps of the Rockefeller Preserve are available on-line and at the park visitors center on Route 117. Maps of the aqueduct are available from Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct and at local stores. If you park a vehicle within the cemetery grounds, keep in mind that our gates are closed and locked at 4:30 p.m.

Q. What other historic cemeteries are nearby?
A. Nearby are historic Dale and Sparta cemeteries. Dale Cemetery is located on Havell Street in Ossining. Sparta Cemetery is located on Route 9 in Scarborough, across the highway from and just north of the Scarborough Presbyterian Church. Also nearby are Kensico Cemetery (1-888-KENSICO; www.kensico.org) in Valhalla, Mt. Hope Cemetery in Hastings-on-Hudson (www.mounthopecemetery.com), and Ferncliff Cemetery (914-693-4700; www.ferncliffcemetery.com) in Hartsdale. Further afield are Woodlawn (718-920-0500 www.thewoodlawncemetery.org) in the Bronx and Green-Wood (718-768-7300; www.green-wood.com) in Brooklyn.