SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. – On Sunday, Nov. 1, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., at the Saxtons River Cemetery, the Saxtons River Historical Society (SRHS) and Town of Rockingham Cemetery Committee will host the annual late-fall gathering at the hearse house and historic cemetery vault. The horse-drawn hearse built in Saxtons River will be featured along with other local history and opportunities for engagement with the museum in Saxtons River and cemetery activities throughout Rockingham.
The first unveiling of the Saxtons River hearse and revamped hearse house occurred in 1996, through the efforts of Al Neff. By 2000, he completed restoration of the burial vault to house the museum’s collection of farm implements and blacksmith tools.
This year’s opening is more ambitious than those in recent years. Volunteers will be donning vintage clothing from the SRHS collection, there will be presentations regarding the aspects of the cemetery and the meeting house that once stood in front of the Saxtons River cemetery. The Old South Meeting House in Saxtons River was built in 1810 as a nonsectarian union meeting house. It served as the worship site for several congregations, a schoolhouse for public and private education, a club house, and finally a storage facility. It was razed in 1974. Only brick remnants indicate its original location.
Similarly, the cemetery committee will be discussing the 19th-century fountain and the opportunity to help redesign that area within the Saxtons River Cemetery in the coming months.
“Our annual event is growing bigger. For 30 years, people have enjoyed seeing the hearse and visiting the tool museum in the historic vault. This year, with the help of our outstanding board members and the Rockingham Cemetery Committee, there is so much more to share. There will be something of interest to everyone, including stories about village history, lives of past citizens, and memories of the iconic Old South Meeting House,” said SRHS board member Connie Lancaster.
The Saxtons River Historical Society, established in 1966, is committed to preserving local history through active collection management, educational programs, and maintaining the historic building. The society relies on community support to sustain its efforts in conservation and public engagement. To learn more about the historical society, visit www.saxtonsriverhistory.org or www.facebook.com/SaxtonsRiverHistoricalSociety. The Town of Rockingham Cemetery Committee is an all-volunteer group that fosters the wellbeing of the five town cemeteries through research, advocacy, planning, and public engagement. To learn more, visit www.rockinghamvt.org/cemetery, or email chairofrockinghamcemeterycomm@gmail.com.