These Famous Figures Are Buried in New York’s Oldest Cemetery
When you think of towns that are notorious for their Halloween hijinks, what do you think of? Probably Salem, Massachusetts and Sleep Hollow, New York, right? Salem is most known for the Salem Witch Trials, where between 1692 and 1693, over 200 citizens were accused witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. As fun as visiting Salem can be, New York and the Hudson Valley have our very own haunted Halloween hub for tourism, events, and more!
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is an 1820 short story by American author Washington Irving, contained in his collection of 34 essays and short stories titled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. "The Legend" tells the tale of school teacher Ichabod Crane being haunted by the spirit of a deceased Hessian soldier, The Headless Horseman!
"The Legend" famously mentions both the cemetery and the Old Dutch Church. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, which was founded in 1849, is a non-profit, non-sectarian cemetery that holds nearly 46,000 internments on their 90 acres.
READ MORE: See 7,000+ Jack-O-Lanterns Illuminate Hudson Valley Manor
Besides being the setting of a Halloween ghost story, this cemetery holds the burial grounds for a number of historical figures. Below is a list of some of the famous figures who reside in the grounds. Is there someone we missed? Let us know!
8 Famous People Buried in the Hudson Valley's Oldest Cemetery
Gallery Credit: Conor Walsh
Cross the Most Haunted Bridges in New York
After you're done with your family fun activities in Sleepy Hollow, may I suggest a trip to Saugerties to visit one of New York's most haunted bridges? I know, haunted "bridges," is not what I expected to have on my Halloween Bingo Card, but there it is. The tale behind it is spooky, along with 7 other bridges that are claimed to be haunted all across New York. Will you dare to drive or walk across any of these?
8 Of The Most Haunted Bridges In New York State
Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler
A Haunted Pub Crawl Throughout New York
After you're done checking out those haunted bridges, how about going on a haunted pub crawl? After a few drinks, will you really be able to tell the difference between a ghost and a regular person? Learn some incredible spooky history about New York's most haunted bars. Three of them are specifically in the Hudson Valley, located in Catskill, Newburgh, and Dover, respectively.
20 Haunted Bars Across New York State
Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler