Ellsworth, Col. Elmer E., Monument and Grave
Why it's listed
A 25-foot Quincy granite shaft marks the grave of Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth in the family plot at Hudson View Cemetery, on the southern edge of Mechanicville. Topped by a bronze eagle with outstretched wings, it carries a bronze medallion portrait, a marble panel with a coat of arms drawn by Ellsworth, and inscriptions about his life and death. Cost was about $5,000, paid partly by a New York State appropriation, a donation from his old regiment, and public subscription. Ellsworth, born in Malta in 1837 and raised in Mechanicville, organized the first American Zouave drill group in 1859 and later recruited a regiment from New York City volunteer firemen. A friend of Abraham Lincoln, he was shot in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 24, 1861, after taking down a secessionist flag, and is considered the first northern casualty of the Civil War. His boyhood home is gone, so the monument is the main memorial to him.
Significance in brief: Ellsworth organized the first American Zouave drill group in 1859, raised a Zouave regiment from New York City volunteer firemen, and was a friend of Abraham Lincoln. He was killed at Alexandria, Virginia, in May 1861 and is regarded as the first northern casualty of the Civil War. Because his boyhood home no longer exists and he moved from city to city, the nomination holds that the monument and grave are the most suitable place to commemorate him.
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 76001273, listed November 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Hudson View Cemetery, Mechanicville |
|---|---|
| County | Saratoga County |
| Listed | November 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001273 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form lists the condition as unaltered and on its original site. The grave and monument remain in use as a grave and monument, in an enclosed family plot. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.89814, -73.69172 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 76001273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141762
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.