Suffolk County Cemeteries

THE OLD BURIAL GROUND - Southold, NY

(see photos of The Old Burial Ground)

Source: Historic Cemeteries Database

The Old Burial Ground is the oldest English cemetery in New York State. Founded in 1640 by English colonists from New Haven, (in what was to become Connecticut) the town of Southold, located ten miles from Orient Point, on eastern Long Island is considered to be the first English settlement in New York State.

While New York is commonly thought of as an English colony, the original colonists to settle Manhattan and the Hudson Valley were Dutch. The English made their inroads on eastern Long Island, approximately one hundred miles to the east of what was later to become New York City. These original English colonists came across Long Island Sound from the New England colonies to the north and looked to them for commerce, culture, civil and religious authority. Southold was originally part of the colony of New Haven.

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This page was last updated August 28, 2000.