Take Nothing But Photographs, Leave Nothing But Footprints//October 240th, 2021

 If you know me well enough, you probably know how attached I am to the village of Sleepy Hollow. 

I visited for the first time three years ago and it instantly felt like home to me. 

I make every effort to visit whenever I can, and when I am there, my most favorite place to spend time is Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

It’s a magical place to me, filled with so much history and so many stories and hidden gems among the graves. 

And, over by the Old Dutch Church, you can find many headstones that bear the names that inspired many of the characters in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

It’s beautiful and truly feels like stepping back into another time. If you look long and hard enough, I promise you, you will start to see reflections of the Legend itself, and those who lived during the time in which it was written.

Sadly, though, it seems not everyone has the same kind of respect for the deceased, as, last weekend, a terribly distressing crime happened at this beautiful place.

(Pictures from the Visit Sleepy Hollow Instagram page)

Someone was in the cemetery, without permission, making casts of seven of the oldest headstones near the Old Dutch Church, including that of the real-life inspiration for the Legend’s Katrina Van Tassel. 

At this time, the woman has been caught and claims to have used modeling clay, but it’s still unclear as to whether or not the damages will be fixable. I look at the pictures of these headstones and it’s truly heartbreaking to me, how anyone could have such disregard for the deceased, to deface these old, fragile gravestones this way. 

At this time, a Go Fund Me page has been set up to help cover the cost of potential repairs, and install more security cameras on the property. Every bit of money that can be donated is clearly appreciated, as are shares to anyone who may be interested and able to help. I don’t want to see anything like this ever happened again, at any cemetery. It’s just plain wrong.

The suspect is suspected to be selling these casts on Etsy. I know the pieces will look pretty, but if you see them for sale, please, please do not support them. These were not obtained in any legal, ethical, or respectful way. This kind of blatant disregard for the deceased should not, under any circumstances, be rewarded in any way. 

I just truly hope that the damage is not irreparable, and that these headstones will continue to stand strong at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery until the end of time.