Walking tours of Mt. Hebron and Rosedale cemeteries

mont-cemetery-tour-wMONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Historical Society will hold walking tours of Mt. Hebron and Rosedale cemeteries in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

The Mt. Hebron Cemetery tour will be Saturday, Oct. 22. Founded in 1863, the Mt. Hebron Cemetery was established on farmland donated by the area’s earliest Dutch settlers. Plots include some of the oldest family names in Speertown and Cranetown — also known as Upper Montclair and Montclair, respectively. The 30-acre cemetery is the smallest in Montclair, and perhaps one of the most beautiful, with stunning views from its location on the eastern slope of First Mountain. The tour will highlight interesting grave imagery and notable people interred. Park on Valley Road near the cemetery entrance at 851 Valley Road in Montclair, as parking within the cemetery may be limited, and meet near the cemetery office at 1 p.m. This will be an all-walking tour. There is a suggested donation; advanced registration is required by contacting [email protected].

Rosedale Cemetery walking tour will be Sunday, Oct. 30, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Founded more than 150 years ago, Rosedale Cemetery marked the beginning of a new movement in how America took care of its deceased. The MHS will talk about grave imagery as well as the people who are buried in the oldest section of the cemetery. The tour will begin at the Rosedale Chapel for a brief introduction at 408 Orange Road in Montclair. Carpooling is suggested due to limited parking on site and driving to distant parts of the cemetery. This walking tour will be approximately 2 miles. There is a suggested donation; advanced registration is required by contacting [email protected].

The Montclair Historical Society is an independent not-for-profit organization that has been dedicated to preserving, sharing and educating others about Montclair’s history since 1965. For more information, visit www.montclairhistorical.org or contact 973-744-1796 or [email protected].