Bayside Cemetery and Gatehouse Complex
Why it's listed
Bayside Cemetery, established in 1865, covers 83.6 acres along the Raquette River just south of Potsdam's village center. Its plan, filed by L. R. Briggs of Boston, reflects the mid-19th-century rural cemetery movement, with winding roads, hills, mature trees and river views. A raised causeway built in 1867 links the entrance to the burial grounds. The entrance complex was financed by the Clarkson family and built of red Potsdam Sandstone from their quarries. It includes a Chateauesque gatehouse finished in 1901 and designed by Edgar A. Josselyn, with a bell tower, a receiving room and a custodian's residence. A crenellated wall and iron gate followed in 1904, along with a small office building and a garage. Within the grounds are the c. 1873 Clarkson mausoleum, an 1891 receiving vault, sandstone obelisks and a 1903 Civil War soldiers' monument. Together these resources show how a leading family shaped a community burial place.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Bayside as a rural-cemetery-style landscape that has long been favored by Potsdam's leading families, especially the Clarksons. Around 1900 the Clarkson family funded the red Potsdam Sandstone gatehouse, wall and gate to express their religious principles and devotion to family. The site is marked as significant in landscape architecture, architecture, and community planning and development.
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 03000026, listed March 26, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 115 Clarkson Ave., Potsdam |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | March 26, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03000026 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Architect / builder | Edgar A. Josselyn (gatehouse architect); Warren Manning (landscape architect for the entrance); L. R. Briggs and H. T. Whitman (cemetery grounds design) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Chateauesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The gatehouse masonry is described as generally in good condition; the gatehouse still serves as a residence, the cemetery remains in use, and the garage is in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 83.6 |
| Coordinates | 44.65456, -74.99110 (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 03000026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4874826
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.