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Maple Grove cemetery was
established in a wooded section north of Richmond Hill in an area known
as Haystown (named after Ambrose Hays who had a store on Metropolitan
Avenue near 130th Street). The property belonged to Mary A.
Webb, who signed a land conveyance agreement with Maple Grove in
November 1875. Mr. Noyes F. Palmer was hired to act as Superintendent
and construction moved very rapidly.
A gala celebration of the 130th
anniversary of Maple Grove’s founding was held in March 2005 at the
New York Hall of
Science . The theme for the event – which has now become a
central theme for all we do – was Reflecting on the Past, Embracing
the Future. Melinda Katz, Queens District 29 representative on the
New York City Council, gave the keynote address.
Two visual presentations served as
centerpieces for the evening. A series of slides put together by Carl
Ballenas and Nancy Cataldi of the Richmond Hill Historical
Society introduced the history of the cemetery and some of the people
buried here. In addition, we showed for the
first time a documentary video
“Embracing the Future”, produced by
Telling Story film-makers.
As part of the celebration,
students from the Immaculate Conception School in Jamaica
brought to life the stories of William Cogswell and
others who are buried at Maple Grove.
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