West Hill Cemetery
Why it's listed
West Hill Cemetery occupies a plateau on the north side of NY 80 between the villages of Sherburne and Smyrna, overlooking the Chenango River valley. The earliest known burial, an infant, dates to 1803, when the Second Calvinistick Congregational Society had its meeting house nearby. The church disbanded by 1820, but the burial ground grew into one of the town's largest, with records of about 4,683 burials. The older western half holds early settlers, proprietors and Revolutionary War veterans, along with carved stones by the Crandall family. The eastern half, added in 1897, follows a formal cloverleaf plan centered on a small roman brick chapel of about 1905. The chapel has stepped parapets, round-arched openings, a belfry tower and a red tile roof. The cemetery was listed for its link to Sherburne's settlement, its funerary art, and the architecture of the chapel.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery reflects the early settlement and development of Sherburne, holding graves of early landowners, settlers and veterans. It also contains fine examples of nineteenth and early twentieth century funerary art, including work by the Crandall family of carvers. The c1905 chapel is described as a distinctive small picturesque chapel in the Spanish mission style.
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 05001534, listed January 18, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 80, Sherburne |
|---|---|
| County | Chenango County |
| Listed | January 18, 2006 |
| Reference number | 05001534 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | c1800-c1955 |
| Architect / builder | F.A. Jaerschky, chapel architect |
| Architectural style | Spanish mission style (chapel) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a cemetery, with space for roughly three to four thousand more burials; the chapel is described as retaining an outstanding level of integrity. |
| Acreage | 9.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.69423, -75.53190 (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 05001534.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7985376
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.