Cemetery named historic landmark : West Nyack site on state, county books

1994-08-22

Cemetery named landmark
West Nyack site on state, county books
By Nancy Cacioppo
Staff Writer

WEST NYACK — The historic Mount Moor Cemetery, set in the middle of Pyramid Co.'s Palisades Center mall project, has become the target of county and state honors.

And members of the association that owns the cemetery say
federal honors are not far behind.

"We've always recognized the significance of this cemetery as a unique piece of history in Clarkstown," said Charles Holbrook,
Clarkstown town supervisor and chairman of the Rockland
Legislature. "For many years in the 20th century, history had passed it by. But recently, the threat (of damage) from the Palisades Center mall construction shone the spotlight on it and generated more public interest."

A little over a week ago, the 145-year-old cemetery of 100
African American graves, which includes veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, World Wars I and II and the Korean War, was placed on the State Register of Historic Places and named a landmark by the county Legislature.

The long-sought designation means that Clarkstown may apply
for matching state grants to help preserve the site.

"Of course we were delighted," said Hezekiah Easter, association president, reacting to the honor. "And the state is going to recommend the site for national recognition, which would be thrilling."

Should federal recognition be granted by the National Register
of Historic Places, said Easter, federal monies would then be
available to help preserve the site as the county's first African
American landmark. The funds would be used to erect a wrought iron fence, a monument, and a seating area, said Easter, a former county legislature member.

One of the graves at Mount Moor is that of Lafayette Logan,
who fought in the Civil War with the legendary black Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the unit made famous in the motion picture "Glory." About a half-dozen others were members of the Buffalo Soldiers, black units who fought in
the Spanish American War.

When Pyramid bought the surrounding property for its Palisades Center Mall in 1987, it proposed buying the cemetery land as well and moving the graves to the Nyack Rural Cemetery. But the cemetery association turned down the offer, saying the cemetery was sacred ground.

For about six months starting last fall, until Pyramid halted
construction in early April and put the Palisades Center Mall project on hold, the builders blasted and filled portions of the mall property.

Members of the cemetery association feared that the graves
might suffer irreparable damage from erosion and blasting,
although Pyramid spokesman Thomas Valenti maintained that no damage had been done to the cemetery.

A vice-president of the association, Wilbur Foulkes, said, "The
(Pyramid) controversy helped open people's eyes and get
community support. We want the cemetery to be a real historic asset for the county."

The first section of Mount Moor Cemetery was established in
1849 as a "burying ground for colored people," with a second
section added in 1855. It has been maintained since 1940 by the Mount Moor Cemetery Association, a 100-member community organization. And for several years, community volunteers and local veterans groups helped with the maintenance.

Clarkstown declared Mount Moor a town historic site in 1988.
In 1990, the African American Historical Society of Rockland and the Mount Moor Cemetery Association co-sponsored a historical marker, which was placed at the base of the cemetery by the Historical Society of Rockland.

The Mount Moor Cemetery Association will discuss plans for a
public ceremony in the fall recognizing the state honor at its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at Depew Manor, Nyack.
For further information, call Easter at 258-3661 or Foulkes at
356-5336.

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