Potsdam in St. Lawrence County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Bayside Cemetery
Established 1865
Visitors welcome, but enter at your own risk. Open during daylight hours. This is an active burial ground: please show respect on premises.
For further information: Glenn Collins, Sexton Office behind gatehouse 315/265-3790.
SYMBOLS IN THE STONES
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, tombstones tended to threaten or moralize. In the nineteenth century, especially the Victorian era, tombstones emphasized rebirth, salvation, eternal life, and connection to the living mourners.
Here are a few examples in Bayside Cemetery, from the early 19th century to the present.
angels weeping, watching, praying = tended in heaven
finger pointing up = loved one is in heaven, look there for him or her
broken column = deceased cut down in prime
wheat sheaf = gathering the deceased as harvest to the next world
mourning female = sorrow, grief personified
obelisk = from earth to rebirth in heaven
cherub = in the company of angels
damaged urn or column = immortal but we mourn
weeping willow = sorrow on earth
lamb = innocence, usually child
clasped hands = goodbye at death
book = deceased was teacher or minister. Bible = look here for the answer
Erected 2008 by Daniel Brouwer, Boy Scout Eagle Project.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1865.
Location. 44° 39.386′ N, 74° 59.62′ W. Marker is in Potsdam, New York, in St. Lawrence County. Marker is on Bayside Cemetery Road, 0.1 miles east of Clarkson Avenue (County Route 59), on the left when traveling east. Marker is on the causeway to the burial ground, beyond the gatehouse. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Potsdam NY 13676, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Home and Country (approx. 0.2 miles away); Potsdam Raquette River Walk - Hydro Site (approx. 0.8 miles away); They Live with Us in Grateful Memory of their Sacrifice (approx. 0.8 miles away); James McCormick (approx. 0.8 miles away); Potsdam Raquette River Walk (approx. 0.9 miles away); In Loving Memory (approx. 0.9 miles away); In Honor of the Students and Alumni (approx. 0.9 miles away); Satterlee Hall (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Potsdam.
More about this marker. The marker includes a map.
Regarding Bayside Cemetery. The Potsdam Civil War Monument, Home and Country, is at the highest elevation in the cemetery. The cemetery is on the west bank of the Raquette River, also spelled Racquette.
Also see . . .
1. Potsdam Public Museum - Bayside Cemetery. (Submitted on November 12, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
2. Bayside Cemetery and Gatehouse Complex - National Archives. National Register of Historic Places documentation (Submitted on October 17, 2023, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York. This page has been viewed 407 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 12, 2014, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.