Bryant Hill Cemetery
Why it's listed
Bryant Hill Cemetery is a small burial ground of about 0.135 acre beside Bryant Hill Road in the Town of Ellicottville, New York. Settlers belonging to the Baptist faith established it in 1821, and burials took place between 1824 and 1901. Forty-seven graves are known, marked mostly by marble and sandstone stones, some carved with motifs such as a pointing hand or a willow and urn. Thirteen family names appear, among them Bryant, Rust, Drown and Walker. Those buried include Justin Rust, a Continental Army veteran, and Barbara Walker, widow of a War of 1812 soldier. The cemetery is the last remnant of a community founded by New England migrants, which faded after its Baptist church dissolved in 1864. After decades of neglect, local residents began clearing it around 1970, and the town took ownership in 1976. A 2000 condition assessment followed earlier fire damage to the stones. The cemetery was listed for its age and its link to the settlement of the area.
Significance in brief: It is the final resting place of the first New England settlers in the Town of Ellicottville. It is the last vestige of the Bryant Hill community, which grew from land speculation and westward settlement and declined after its Baptist church dissolved in 1864. It is significant under Criterion A for its great age and local importance.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03000605, listed July 5, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bryant Hill Rd. near Crane Rd., Ellicottville |
|---|---|
| County | Cattaraugus County |
| Listed | July 5, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000605 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1821-1901 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and maintained by the Town of Ellicottville, with grass cutting by the Town Highway Department and volunteers. Many stones were damaged by a 1960s controlled burn and partly repaired by volunteers from the early 1970s; a conservation assessment was completed in 2000. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.30531, -78.60157 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03000605.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4980586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.