Preservation Spotlight:
Sharp Burying Ground
Kingston native Walt Witkowski is preserving Hudson Valley history with a soft brush and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. For nearly ten years, Walt has been cleaning the dirt, grime and lichen off of historical gravestones in over 20 local cemeteries, ranging from Woodstock to Warwarsing. This summer, he has donated his focus and his time to the Sharp Burying Ground in Kingston.
The Sharp Burying Ground (sometimes called Sharp Burial Ground) is a small plot of land on Albany Avenue near its intersection with Broadway. Its origin dates back to 1832; a time before larger rural cemeteries had become common, but after most churchyards had stopped accepting new burials.
With the organization of larger cemeteries like Wiltwyck Cemetery in the 1850’s, the Sharp Burying Ground ceased burials and fell into neglect as early as 1870.
In 1995, more than a century later, and amid growing concern about tumbled headstones and overgrown appearance, the City of Kingston rededicated the Burying Ground. The Friends have been involved with the restoration of the cemetery since the rededication. The first plot to be restored was that of John Sudam, a Kingston lawyer and original owner of the Fred J. Johnston House. In 2002, the burying ground was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
However, even after all that work, time creeps forward, and many of the gravestones have again been covered in dirt and grime… which is where Walt comes in. Armed with little more than a brush and a simple cleaning solution of water, soap, and the tiniest bit of bleach, Walt has transformed the gravestones of the Sharp Burying Ground, returning them to something near what they must have looked like when they first were placed there.
Walt is a history buff himself, having done a great deal of research into the Civil War, which coincides with the period in which the burying ground was active. He has even been invited to give a presentation on George H. Sharpe (no relation to the burying ground) as part of the Senate House’s Buried Treasure lecture series.
The Sharp Burying Ground poses unique challenges to preservationists like Walt. Decades of abandonment mean that several of the gravestones have toppled or been completely lost.
Some, like the headstone of Capt. Rodney Newkirk (pictured right) were found half buried in the ground, and had to be gently removed and reattached to their original plinths. Several spots of bare stone still litter the grounds, hinting that there may be more to discover.
Preservationists like Walt keep the history of Kingston alive. Through his efforts and the efforts of dozens of others, the Sharp Burying Ground has been restored to its former beauty, and the history it contains will be protected for years to come.
So a special thank you from the Friends of Historic Kingston to Walt Witkowski. Your work is important and it is appreciated.
The Sharp Burying Ground is open to the public, but the Friends and the City of Kingston request that visitors are respectful of the site and the ongoing restoration.
And if you see Walt out there, make sure to say hi!