First Shearith Israel Graveyard, Chatham Square Cemetery — Attraction in New York

Ancient by the standards of we immigrants (the Lenape and other First Peoples were here thousands of years ago of course). This little patch of open ground, a resting place for loved ones of many generations past, can be found on a 1766 map of the area surrounded then by more open country. It was, at the time on the outer fringes of civilization. I've uploaded a screenshot of the section of the map, which is from the Library of Congress. On it the cemetery is identified in a derogatory fashion as "Jews Burying Ground," sadly a typical way of identification for the time. We have so few remnants of anything dating to the early colonial period and here we have one, hidden in plain site. Amazing too, how much higher the ground level was in the 17th century, or perhaps this...

Walked about 30 mins to go look at this historic location only to be disappointed because it was closed. There was a lock on the gate. Even though it said open 24 hrs.

It's not kept up at all either. Everything is over grown. I do know community members that would assist in maintaining it. If given the opportunity.

Hopefully the information gets...

Built in 1682, it's the only remaining 17th century structure in all of Manhattan. You won't find anything that ancient anywhere else....