A walk to Sparta Cemetery – A colorful fire hydrant

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As I walked off along Revolutionary Road, I came across this brightly colored fire hydrant. I thought the bright colors contrasted nicely with the stonework.

And yes, this is the Revolutionary Road in Richard Yate’s well-known novel and the movie of the same name.

Novelist and short-story writer Richard Yates lived at the corner of Revolutionary Road and Route 9 in Scarborough. The Beechwood estate contained a carriage house, gatehouse, squash court (no longer extant), and a white-stucco artist’s studio named Beech Twig. In his youth, novelist Richard Yates lived there, as well as other artists, writers, and composers (e.g. John Cheever).

Taken with a Sony DSC-H50

A walk to Sparta Cemetery – Sparta Cemetery

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Sparta Cemetery, or the Presbyterian Burying Ground at Sparta, is a two-acre (0.81 ha) burying ground dating to 1764, making it the oldest cemetery in Westchester County. It is the only contributing property outside Briarcliff Manor; the Ossining Historical Society has maintained the cemetery since 1984. As of 1984, the cemetery is still owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Ossining; its original church building was built c. 1768 and was moved towards the center of Ossining in 1800. The grounds hold 34 known Revolutionary War veterans. Many of the area’s earliest residents are buried in the cemetery.

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In September 1780, HMS Vulture fired a cannonball into the gravestone of Abraham Ladew, Jr., who died in 1774, at the age of 7. The Vulture was traveling south from Croton Point to pick up Major John André, a rendezvous that never occurred; Andre was captured in Tarrytown on his way to the vessel.

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That’s all I have to say about Sparta Cemetery. I’ve done many posts on this cemetery (you can look them up) and on this occasion, I had been walking for around two hours, it was almost noon, and it was getting hot and humid. So, I didn’t stay long. Just a few shots taken from near the entrance, and I was off.

Taken with a Sony DSC-H50

A walk to Sparta Cemetery – A Path

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This path is directly across Revolutionary Road from the Scarborough Presbyterian Church Manse. I’ve no idea where it leads to (some grand house I imagine). I liked the stone pillars, the wrought iron gate and the way the path just leads away…to nothing. I’ve taken pictures of it before. In spring bright yellow daffodils grow alongside the path.

Taken with a Sony DSC-H50

A walk to Sparta Cemetery – The Scarborough Presbyterian Church Manse

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The Manse is across the road from the Presbyterian Church.

According to Mary Cheever.

During his pastorate at the church, Mr. Blessing lived with the Misses Dennis, cousins of Mr. Shepard, whose home was on the site of the Arcadian Shopping Center. With the arrival of the second minister, Benjamin T. Marshall, a manse was established in the house Dr. Holden had built for his son George Clarence Holden on the hill on the hill between the Holden homestead and Scarborough Road (later the Easton House). The present manse next to the Sparta Buying Grounds on Revolutionary Road was given by Mrs. Shepard and completed in 1913. It was designed by William C. Holden, son of George C. Holden, who was the builder, and who owned and operated the Ossining Pressed Stone Company on the river front in Ossining Village. (Mary Cheever. The Changing Landscape. A History of Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough, pp.53-54).

I don’t have much to say about this other than that I found it interesting.

The flower bed is located directly in front of the entrance to the Manse.

Taken with a Sony DSC-H50