CORTLAND, NY (CortacaToday) — 169 years ago, on the 14th of April 1855, David & Ann Hubbard sold eleven acres of land to the Cortland Rural Cemetery Association. This sale would mark the beginning of the Cortland Rural Cemetery, operated by the association formed less than two years prior. Originally starting with accepting re-burials from small local burial grounds and church cemeteries, they now hold the remains of 18,000 people, which is more than the population of the city of Cortland.

The original eleven acres purchased by the CRC Association were put to use as a combination of cemetery space and garden space. A style popular back in the 1800s, the goal was to make it welcoming to families and an honorable place for the dead to rest. Now the cemetery sits in a park that has grown to fifty acres, while still keeping the natural beauty and greenery that was key to the original layout.

Over many years, the Cortland Rural Cemetery has provided a final resting place for many notable people:

Governor Nathan Miller

The last New York State Governor to be elected from upstate, Nathan Miller was elected to office in 1920. He would hold the position for two years until 1922, when he lost reelection to Alfred Smith.

Otto Hermann

Hermann was an early 20th century aviator and engineer. Building his own biplane, he would successfully take flight in 1911. After forming his own aviation company where he designed plane engines, Otto Hermann would move to Cortland in 1930 for the opening of the Cortland airport. Unfortunately, he would die later that year, but not before he was able to celebrate the new county airport with his wife and children.

Doctor Julia Spalding

Dr. Julia Spalding would arrive in Cortland in 1883, aged 39. One of the nation’s earliest female doctors, she specialized in women’s and children’s diseases as well as chronic diseases. Doctor Spalding would pass away in 1916 and is buried along with her husband who died the same year.

Major General Levi R Chase

Levi Chase was a US Airforce pilot in World War II and the Vietnam War. Originally joining the Army Air Corps in 1941, he would fly over 500 missions over the course of three wars. After retiring in 1974 at the rank of Major General, Chase would pass away in 1996 at the age of 76. The Cortland County Airport is formally named the “Levi R. Chase Field” in honor of his service.

Anyone interested in visiting the many noteworthy people buried in the Cortland Rural Cemetery can use their new tour system called “Cemetrails”, which guides guests around the many graves, nature, and informative signs held in the cemetery. Find out more about the cemetery on their website here.