The Kensico Cemetery

Sprawling across more than 460 acres in the hamlet of Valhalla, Kensico Cemetery is a landscape where memorialization, nature, and history quietly coexist. Its roads curve gradually and gracefully through valleys and over hills, creating a spacious, tranquil, pastoral setting where visitors can walk among the resting places of artists, inventors, philanthropists, athletes, and many others whose lives span centuries of history. Recognized as a Level II Arboretum, the grounds are home to hundreds of tree and plant species, alongside mausoleums and statuary representing a range of architectural styles. Founded in 1889, when cemeteries in New York City were reaching full capacity, Kensico was established to meet the rural cemetery ideal of the era; a large tract of farmland thoughtfully developed to take advantage of the natural features of the landscape. In 1953, the cemetery expanded with the opening of Sharon Gardens, a division serving members of the Jewish faith. Together, the two grounds welcome visitors 365 days a year.