The Old Letchworth Village Cemetery — Local services in Town of Haverstraw

The Old Letchworth Village Cemetery 1914 - 1967. The resting place of some ~900 patients of the now defunct Letchworth Village asylum. Identified solely by number impressed upon t-shaped steel markers. Their identities obscured by a society where relation to the "feeble-minded" and "feeble-bodied" was thought to bring shame to a family. It was not until 2007 that the individuals laid to rest here were memorialized by a large bronze plaque featuring each of the identifiable names found in old ledgers. Since then, a number of the steel grave markers have been replaced by proper headstones, funded by later generations of the deceased. We had previously paid a visit to Letchworth Village earlier this spring. Yet it was not until later that we read about the existence of an abandoned cemetery. Determined to find it, I took to Google Maps satellite and scanned areas surrounding the asylum. Searching for the distinctive dot pattern of a graveyard in the woods. Upon finding an area that vaguely resembled a graveyard, I dropped a pin to geotag the location. Some months later, we returned to the area and took the opportunity to search for the forgotten. Lo and behold, there it was, down a short path off Call...

Was here on October 6, 2022. Just a short walk from the main road where there is a small parking lot. Wide dirt path is perhaps 200 yards to the cemetery. Its an easy walk. Cemetery appears to be in otherwise good condition and is apparent that it is taken care of on a regular basis.

You are greeted by a monument depicting the names of those buried here. A fitting tribute to these many lost souls.

There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the numbers assigned to the various grave markers. They do not seem to be in any particular order. They are made of metal and have no names of the persons buried there. However , there are several inscribed grave markers giving names and dates. One can assume these were paid for by the deceased's family(?) I was surprised to see so many young people here.

Several articles mentioned this is where "feeble minded" people once lived and died from 1914 to 1967. When asking the locals about the clientele of Letchworth Village I often got a reply that retardism/downs syndrome was more likely the reason for young children being left abandon here by their parents. Such a...

A field of grief hidden away at the end of a leafy trail midst silent brooding trees. Numbered T shaped markers poignantly and anonymously indicate the spots where hundreds of asylum inmates of which a number were babies and children now repose having escaped the torment they suffered in life. Fittingly a bronze plaque honours and ensures these haunted deceased souls are now remembered for ever. "They rest where no...