My historic headstone journey first takes me to a small local cemetery, surely missed if you did not know it existed. Nestled on the south side of the busy Long Island Expressway, at the far right of the Exit 67 east bound entry ramp, is The Almshouse Cemetery.
As you hop over the small metal guardrail, you approach a wooden case with glass panes containing multiple old photos and documents displayed by the Yaphank Historical Society. Further beyond, you will discover a simple wooden entry way “1872 – 1953 Almshouse Cemetery.” Here lies just over a thousand of Yaphank’s departed, most deserted and forgotten long before their passing.
(Almshouse Cemetery Entryway)
Those buried here, in evenly lined rows of small worn gravestones marked only by number, were of the Suffolk County Almshouse and the counties Children’s Home i.e., Orphanage; the homeless, abandoned children, young teen mothers, stricken by poverty, criminals, psychiatric and physically ill, elderly and disabled. Graves were dug by hand and you were laid to rest in a plain pine coffin. William Jones Weeks, the then superintendent of the Almshouse, created the numbering system for the head stones to record the deaths occurring at both buildings.
The “inmates” as the residents were described, were required to work at the associated farm. For eight hours, Monday through Saturday, those that were deemed physically able, would be assigned various duties on the farm to earn their stay. When these individuals succumbed to death, they were buried here beginning in 1872 to the final burial in 1953. The Almshouse Cemetery has been documented as one of the earliest inter-racial cemeteries of Suffolk County, NY.
(Headstone #460, Frank Realmuto, DOB Unknown - 2/26/1902, Age of Death 18)
Several local paranormal investigating groups have cited claims of activity here, such as apparitions, sounds of children, mysterious shadows, and detections of electronic voice phenomena. Many noted mysterious orbs of light between the stones and in the surrounding wooded pines as well as other sounds beyond the grave and overpowering feelings of “get out.”
I personally experienced only conscious peace. A somewhat maintained landscape of weathered stones of past inhabitants of this town, casting small shadows from the warm sun on a crisp day. I carefully read the list of the names of those buried here and as I glanced back just before leaving, I hoped all their souls were at peace and that I would remember this day. When I returned home to type this, I did notice an orb in one photo, I will let you use your imagination, I chalk it up to that intense gassy star in the sky.
(Unmarked blue glass bottles, Lenten prayer card and cloves of garlic found at cemetery entranceway)
The State of New York passed a Welfare Law, mandating that institutions formally referred to as “almshouse” or “poor house” be changed in 1929, hence the renaming of it to the Suffolk County Home. In 1937 a new, large brick “home” was built, and in 1939, residents were no longer required to work on the farm. That brick building is now occupied by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. The Children’s Home no longer stands across the street, however the farm still exists today, now known as The Suffolk County Farm, run by the Cornell Cooperative Extension. I did a goat yoga class there oddly enough, possibly I namaste’ed where some forsaken once tirelessly worked… in hindsight, I would have looked at that experience differently.
Subscribe and stay tuned for my next cemetery visit! Thanks for reading!
(Almshouse Cemetery)
Very interesting! Having grown up on Long Island, I never even knew about this place. Thank you for sharing this story so these souls can be remembered.
I look forward to your next post.
There are so many little unknown places of rest on LI I cant wait to read whats next! Gives me goosebumps!!!
Great first post into a fascinating topic! I was not familiar with Almhouse, definitely an interesting history there and some haunting images too. I’m looking forward to more of your explores! :) -Elisa