Frozen in time. That’s how Brookside Cemetery feels. A short distance south of Watertown New York Brookside Cemetery opened in 1854. It wasn’t the village’s first cemetery. Two earlier cemeteries existed. One behind the old Trinity Church the other on Arsenal Street. Brookside though was special. Engineers Howard Daniels and George R Parsons designed it. They nestled it amongst hills and ponds creating a tranquil setting.
Even in its early years Brookside held prominent Watertown settlers. Adriel Ely an early lawyer was a trustee before his death in 1859. Ten years later railroad millionaire Henry Keep died. His burial became one of the most significant in Brookside’s history. His wife Emma Woodruff Keep later Schley bought a plot. She hired architect Otis L Wheelock. He designed many Watertown buildings after a great fire in 1849. He built a mausoleum for Keep. It was said to be magnificent. But there’s a twist. The mausoleum was built on quicksand. It had to be rebuilt. That explains the window discrepancies reported in an 1872 newspaper article.
In 1973 vandalism struck. Intruders broke into the Keep mausoleum. They carefully removed a bust of Keep. They didn’t damage other statues. Police suspected grave robbing. They investigated if Keep wore jewelry when buried. Records were sketchy. Replacing the broken stained-glass window would cost $5000. The vandals tried to reach the basement. Caskets were embedded in the walls. They failed to open one. Keep’s wife’s and daughter’s tombs remained untouched. The remains were examined for diseases. No suspects were ever found.
Brookside wasn’t only for the wealthy. In 1891 the Watertown Fire Department unveiled a monument for its fallen heroes. They had bought lots there earlier. They called it a beautiful city of the dead. A committee decorated graves with flowers. The monument is 16 1/2 feet tall made of Barre granite.
In 1905 more land was purchased. Frederick S Flower donated beautiful gates. He paid $10000. The gates honor his father Col George W Flower Watertown’s first mayor. Frederick also landscaped the entrance. He added a stone wall and planted elm trees.
One of Brookside’s largest funerals was for Emma Flower Taylor in 1934. She was incredibly wealthy and generous. Thousands attended her funeral. Her contributions included the Flower Memorial Library and donations to Flower Hospital. Cars filled the cemetery. Two state troopers managed traffic. The caretaker estimated 3000 cars attended.
Brookside Cemetery remains. It silently holds the stories of Watertown’s past. It speaks of wealth and loss. It whispers tales of vandalism and remembrance. It is a place of quiet beauty and enduring history.