hartsdale Newsletter - Heritage Fund 2016:Layout 1

The Heritage Fund
2016 Annual Drive
AMERICAʼS FIRST PET BURIAL GROUNDS
LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
A NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION HABITAT
Report from the Historian
Thanks to your generous contributions, this has been an extraordinary year at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery.
We were able to address several time-critical conservation projects, starting with the old carriage gate
on North Washington Avenue through which the first plot-holders came by horse and buggy to deliver
their pets for burial. There was significant mortar loss in the two Italianate columns since their 1898
construction, so we enlisted one of New England’s top restoration professionals to apply a historically
appropriate lime mortar replicating the work of the original mason and which will fortify them for another
century of rain and snow. Also the Walsh Mausoleum, our largest monument, got repointed to prevent
water seepage into this fifty-ton tribute to two adored spaniels. Additionally, I am pleased to report that
our early marble markers are faring quite well following their first course of treatment with a new cleaner
formulated to prevent the corrosive effects of acid rain, lichens and algae. Only the six-foot 1926 memorial
to Grumpy the bulldog, which is broken in two, was left undone this past year because its location on a
steep hillside posed additional logistical challenges. We are not dissuaded though, and are reviewing other
options to complete this restoration.
Hartsdale also undertook an overdue renovation of its natural landscape to prune aging ornamental trees
and remove a line of Arborvitae in the lower property that obscured the grounds and encroached on burial
lots. In the process, interestingly, a key view of the cemetery--as it was when Dr. Johnson walked these
grounds--has been restored.
Much remains to be done. We would love to continue the stone work we began on the promenade stairway
near the War Dog Memorial if the contributions support that kind of project. Speaking of the War Dog, the
bronze statue is due for a routine waxing to preserve its patina. Other early headstones require special baths
due to their fragile state. New restoration projects, such as the cemetery’s only Edwardian lot fence and the
reassembly of an unusual Tuscan marble box crypt, are waiting. And even now at this writing from Texas,
I am photo-scanning hundreds of pages of our earliest handwritten burial records to ensure their perpetuity.
This small piece of land has lived many lives, from an idyllic Native American fishing spot to a bountiful
Colonial orchard, then as a fashionably appointed Victorian summer residence, but without doubt its best
destiny has been as the cradle for one of the most important and beautiful pet cemeteries in the world.
With the Peaceable Kingdom now in its
120th year, it will be your love and support
that perpetuates this great legacy of animal
remembrance.
My heartfelt thanks to all,
Mary Thurston
Hartsdale Pet Cemetery as seen from Central Park Avenue in the early 1920s.
WWW.PETCEM.COM
75 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE, HARTSDALE, NY 10530
914.949.2583
INFO@PETCEM.COM
Blessing of the Animals
Repairs to the Carriage Gate
Carriage Gate – early 1900’s
2016 Calendar of Events
War Dog Memorial Celebration / Pet Adoption Fair
Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 1 PM
Pet Memorial Day / Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 1 PM
Holiday Tree Lighting & Four-Footed Food Drive Kickoff
Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 4 PM
All dates are tentative and subject to change. Sign up for Hartsdale E-Alerts at
www.petcem.com
Before and after restorative treatment
WWW.PETCEM.COM
The first and only facility in New York State to
receive IAOPCC accreditation
75 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE, HARTSDALE, NY 10530
914.949.2583
INFO@PETCEM.COM
Please Help Us Preserve and Improve
Our Irreplaceable Treasure
Original artwork for Peaceable Kingdom book now available as limited edition prints
The U.S. Department of the Interior added Hartsdale Pet Cemetery to the National Registry of Historic Places
making it the first and only animal burial ground to receive such distinction as a site of profound cultural significance. With national recognition comes a new level of responsibility to care for Hartsdale’s many historic features.
The cemetery’s general maintenance fund is not sufficient to cover these costs, nor was it designed to do so. Unlike
human cemeteries, we are not tax exempt from federal and state taxes nor do we receive federal and state funding.
Therefore, we depend entirely on generous supporters like you to protect this legacy of animal history. As a valued
member of our family, we ask you to please help us protect and revitalize this precious national asset.
YES, I want to help the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery Heritage Fund!
No matter what size, every gift counts. Thank you!
$100
$500*
$1,000*
Other ___________
* Eligible for limited edition artwork
Name__________________________________________ To give online, visit www.petcem.com
Plot Number____________________________________ Visa
Master Card
Discover
AmEx
E-mail________________________________________ Card # _________________________________________
Address _______________________________________ Exp. Date _____________
City___________________________________________ Enclosed is my check payable to:
Hartsdale Pet Cemetery
State ___________________ Zip ___________________
Please note: Hartsdale Pet Cemetery is not a 501(c)(3) corporation. Your contribution is not tax-deductible.