Pleasant Lawn Cemetery
Why it's listed
Pleasant Lawn Cemetery occupies more than 11 acres on a slight rise west of the village of Parish, New York. It grew from a small burial ground set aside by Rev. Gamaliel Barnes, one of the town's first settlers, after his daughter Hannah died in 1814. Enlarged in 1871 and incorporated in 1890, it now has ten sections and remains the active cemetery for the town. Three contributing buildings stand within it: a brick vault built before 1899, the gray marble Mills-Petrie Mausoleum of 1899, and the Tudor Revival Mills-Petrie Chapel of 1917, which is attributed to Syracuse architect Merton Elwood Granger. The mausoleum and chapel came from cousins Samuel Mills and Nathan Petrie, local-born bankers and benefactors who also funded a park, library and gymnasium. The cemetery was listed for its role as the burial place of Parish residents from the earliest settlement period, with a period of significance of 1814 to 1955.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery is significant under Criterion A as the burial ground for the Town of Parish since its earliest settlement by European Americans. It holds the historical record of many of the town's residents over two centuries. It also preserves the legacy of benefactors Samuel Mills and Nathan Petrie, who commissioned the mausoleum and chapel.
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 05001125, listed October 5, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 69A, Parish |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | October 5, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001125 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1814-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Merton Elwood Granger (attributed to) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th-Early 20th Century Revival: Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active cemetery with more than 6,000 gravesites and more than 4,000 burials; the chapel is expected to be rehabilitated and funds are sought to restore it. |
| Acreage | 11.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.40223, -76.14166 (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 05001125.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7203900
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.