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PO Box 7
273 Lakeview Avenue
Valhalla, NY 10595 |
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| Home/ Origins and Growth |
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In 1889, at a time when cemeteries in New York City were reaching full capacity, the Kensico Cemetery founders sought to establish a cemetery consistent with the new, rural concept of the time. A 250-acre tract of farmland located in the hamlet of Valhalla in Westchester County was carefully selected, approved for use as a cemetery, and developed to take advantage of the natural features of the landscape. Roads were designed to curve gradually and gracefully through the valleys and over hills, creating a spacious, tranquil, pastoral place where loved ones could be buried and remembered for eternity. By 1915 Kensico Cemetery had expanded to its present size of 461 acres, making it the largest in New York State.
Throughout its more than 100 years of history, Kensico has responded to the needs and preferences of lot owners: the Community Mausoleum was built in 1924 to offer above-ground burials; Sharon Gardens was established in 1953 as a special section dedicated for families of the Jewish faith; monument and memorial park areas were created to provide more options to the public; Angel's Rest was developed to memorialize the burial of infants, and, most recently, a Niche Room was established in the Community Mausoleum for the permanent safe-keeping of cremains.
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