Gethsemane Cemetery

Welcome to Gethsemane Cemetery: A Historic African American Burial Ground

Located at 370 Liberty Street in Little Ferry, New Jersey, Gethsemane Cemetery is a site of profound historical significance. Established in 1819, this small, one-acre cemetery rests on a sandy hill west of the Hackensack River, in an area historically known as "Sand Hill." It serves as a poignant reminder of the African American community's rich history and cultural heritage in Bergen County.

Gethsemane Cemetery is recognized as a Bergen County Historic Site and proudly listed on both the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office Register and the National Register of Historic Places. This designation highlights the cemetery's national importance, particularly for its evidence of West African burial customs, which are unique this far north in the United States.

Originally known as the "Moonachie Colored Cemetery" or the "Hackensack Colored Cemetery," Gethsemane was incorporated in 1901, transitioning to black trusteeship under the Gethsemane Cemetery Association. Despite facing neglect and vandalism over the years, the cemetery was saved from development in 1985 when Bergen County took ownership, initiating restoration efforts led by archaeologist Dr. Joan Geismar. These efforts included comprehensive surveys and non-intrusive Ground Penetrating Radar studies to document and preserve the site's history.

Gethsemane Cemetery is the final resting place for over 500 individuals, although only fewer than 50 gravestones remain, 27 of which bear inscriptions. Among those interred here are at least two Civil War veterans from the Twenty-Ninth (Colored) Connecticut Volunteer Regiment, Private Peter H. Billings and Private Silas M. Carpenter, as well as notable figures like Elizabeth Dulfer, an astute businesswoman and former slave who became a prominent landholder in the area.

The cemetery holds significant cultural and historical value, not only for the African American community it served but also for its role in the enactment of New Jersey's early Civil Rights legislation. Visitors to Gethsemane can reflect on its rich history and the enduring legacy of the individuals buried here, whose lives and stories continue to resonate through time.

For more information about Gethsemane Cemetery and its historical significance, please visit our website or contact the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.