Spooky. Historical. Absolutely beautiful. A walk through the rural Sleepy Hollow Cemetery founded in 1849 holds many surprises.
You can explore the grounds on your own, but going with a guided tour is a fun way to learn all of the exciting secrets and stories that live in one of America’s oldest cemeteries.
Most people come to the graveyard due to its connection with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Big fans will be interested in the Original Knickerbocker: Washington Irving & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow tour, which follows in the footsteps of Ichabod Crane. Those looking for a darker story can choose the Murder and Mayhem Lantern tour to learn about an opera singer who killed many of her husbands, grave robbers, and murder-suicides. 
If you want a bit of everything, go for the Classic Day Tour, which is also held at night by lantern light. The two hour excursion was led by a knowledgeable and charismatic guide. It starts visiting the resting place of Washington Irving, author of the famous tale.
A modest tombstone sits in his family plot, unanticipated due to his celebrity status. Irving was the first American author to make a name for himself.
Next, our guide opened up the Receiving Vault to the delight of Dark Shadows fans, it is the place where bodies would rest until grounds thawed after winter.
Fans of the Ramones might recognize a scene from the Pet Sematary video.
Gravestone 101 was a great learning experience explaining the different materials with trends throughout the years used to make tombstones.
Listen to a history lesson on tycoon Andrew Carnegie with a shockingly simple grave. He began his career giving little to his employees and ended his life as a philanthropist.
On the other hand a stroll up the hill leading to the Rockefeller’s family mausoleum, the biggest in the cemetery.
A visit to the cemetery isn’t all stories about the dead, life thrives in this green space.
Hawks hunt and trees grow tall. The rural cemetery movement was enacted to make sure people had a place to breathe in the fresh air. It wouldn’t be a strange sight in the 1800s to see people spreading out with a picnic next to a departed loved one, spending the day.