New Mount Ida Cemetery Project : GoFundMe Page

My friends in Troy, Alysia and Cameron have been working on restoring the New Mount Ida Cemetery, in Troy on Pinewoods Avenue for quiet a few years now. Numerous times they have held gravestone restoration seminars that were led by professional tombstone conservator Joe Ferrannini of Grave Stone Matters. To continue their work and offset costs, they have set up a GoFundMe page. Please check out their fundraising page here. Please contribute to their cause if you are able. It is a worthy cause!

Troy History Walk

This info comes to me from the Rensselaer County Advertiser newspaper.

TROY HISTORY WALK
Join Rensselaer County Historical Society and Rensselaer Land Trust in a History walk through Troy on Saturday, August 26th, from 9:30am-11:30am. Kathryn Sheehan, Registrar and Rensselaer County & City of Troy Historian will lead us from the Hudson River to Poesten Kill covering almost three centuries of changes the landscape of Troy. We will meet at the Rensselaer County Historical Society located at 57 Second Street in Troy. Wear comfortable shoes and bring something to drink. The cost is $20 per person and you can register online at www.renstrust.org.

Mount Ida Cemetery Vandalism Follow-Up

A few weeks back I posted that recently numerous tires were illegally dumped in the Mount Ida Cemetery on Pawling Avenue in Troy. Troy police and other city officials were notified of the dumping. After volunteering my efforts to help clean the mess, I was told that the police did not even realize that the property is city owned. Immediately an attempt to "pass the buck" was made. However due to persistent and persuasive individuals living in the vicinity of the cemetery, I am told that the tires were removed by the city and that now the gates to enter the cemetery at the care takers building are now chained and locked. This appears to be what it takes to stop fools from desecrating burial grounds. Hopefully the public will be able to enter the cemetery grounds when Spring arrives.

Recent Dumping at the Old Mount Ida Cemetery, Troy, NY

An email was sent to me earlier in the day by another fellow cemetery enthusiast notifying me of a case of very recent illegal dumping of old tires in the Old Mount Ida Cemetery; located on lower Pawling Avenue in Troy.

Pictures of the crime are below. Someone came into the cemetery with a large truck and disposed of upwards of forty tires on cemetery grounds. This story may hit the news media in the next day or so. I was asked to spread the word on this.

It is truly a shame that individuals do this; especially in a cemetery! I am in and out of numerous cemeteries on a regular basis. I have seen evidence of prior illegal activity in many cemeteries but have never stumbled upon someone in the act of desecration. Lucky for them!

The City of Troy will be notified of this. I am told that numerous city officials are not aware that the cemetery is actually city property. Hopefully a city department of public works crew will remove the tires soon.

Old Mount Ida Cemetery Clean-Up

Calling all Volunteers! For a great cause, coming up this Saturday and Sunday, June 20th & 21st, there will be another cemetery clean-up, at the Old Mount Ida Cemetery in Troy; not to be confused with the New Mount Ida Cemetery (which isn't really new anyways).

The Old Mount Ida Cemetery is located on lower Pawling Avenue just up from the intersection at Congress Street. This clean-up day is organized by the Troy Irish Genealogy Society. Details about the day are cut and pasted below from their Facebook page.

Old Mount Ida Cemetery cleanup

Our first cleanup work date will be this coming Saturday-Sunday (6/20-6/21) at the Old Mount Ida and adjacent Old Catholic cemeteries on Pawling Avenue. We'll be starting about 9am, but come any time.

There are many damaged and overgrown headstones in this cemetery including a number of veteran's stones. Work on Saturday will include cleaning overgrowth around and dirt and moss on headstones and identifying stones for future (probably August) repair date. Tools and D/2 cleaner will be provided. Work gloves advisable.

Pinewoods Cemetery Walking Tour

According to the Facebook page of the Troy Irish Genealogy Society, there will be a walking tour of the Forest Park or Pinewoods Cemetery in Troy to be held on Saturday October 25 at 1 PM with a rain date of Sunday October 26 at 1 PM. 

I looked into this further and the Brunswick Town Historian will be the host and guide. There was nothing listed on the Brunswick Historical Society's web page. For more info it would be best to contact Sharon Zankel, Town Historian at 518.279.3461.

Historical Photo of the Cemetery Entrance

Vandalism at Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, NY

This is not a story that I like to report but it is one that needs attention.  Recently cemetery workers at the historic Oakwood Cemetery in Troy noticed that numerous headstones were knocked over.  108 stones in fact were vandalized.  The Times Union reports that this act may be some sort of revenge act because this section of the cemetery had approximately 1000 stones uprighted and reset last year.  I am attaching links to various news sites for the report. 

From the Times Union

From CBS 6 News

From FOX23 News

Upcoming Spring Genealogical meeting

The New York chapter of the Palatines to America National German Genealogy Society will be holding their annual Spring meeting on Saturday, 3 May 2014 in Troy, NY. Details for the event:

The New York Chapter meeting is at the Gilead Lutheran Church in Troy, NY. The meeting will include a short history of this Palatine church as well as a presentation on the Palatine loyalists during the Revolutionary War by Garry Finkell. A second presentation entitled “Researching Your German Ancestors will be provided by Joe Lieby.