Mt. Albion Cemetery
Why it's listed
Mt. Albion Cemetery occupies a small drumlin rising from flat farmland on the eastern edge of Albion, New York, linked to the village by a mile-and-a-half sidewalk of slate and Medina sandstone. The oldest section dates from 1842, and the grounds grew westward through the later nineteenth century. Narrow, winding roads climb terraced slopes under mature trees, while open grassy dells served as park and botanical garden, with flowering shrubs, rare yuccas and a notable butternut tree. Local Medina sandstone unifies the structures: a Gothic chapel of 1875, an entrance arch of 1881, cemetery offices and barn of 1889, a 58-foot Soldiers and Sailors Monument of 1874, and a domed spring house of 1908. Marvin Porter, a former Erie Canal engineer, is credited with the original layout. The cemetery was listed as an intact example of the American rural cemetery and of picturesque landscape design, with its sandstone architecture reflecting the local quarrying boom.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest small, intact rural cemeteries in New York State and a good example of the mid-nineteenth century picturesque movement in American landscape architecture. It served as a park and botanical garden as well as a burying ground. Its buildings and monuments, built of local Medina sandstone, reflect the prosperity of the Albion quarries and give it a regional character.
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 76001261, listed September 27, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 31, Albion |
|---|---|
| County | Orleans County |
| Listed | September 27, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001261 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Marvin Porter (1842, original layout); Warner and Brockert of Rochester (cemetery offices and barn); Field and Diem (Civil War monument); W.E. Karns (Ingersoll Memorial Fountain) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a cemetery, owned by the Village of Albion; condition marked good and unaltered. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was restored in 1975. |
| Acreage | 70 |
| Coordinates | 43.24027, -78.15454 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 76001261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8509826
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.