The History Center at the Port Washington Public Library, in collaboration with the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society and the Town of North Hempstead, has continued efforts to restore the historic Monfort Cemetery, one of the oldest burial grounds in the area.
Representatives from the library, including head archivist Liz Agramonte, archivists Amanda Hellburg and Joey Venutra, and Head of Computer and Technology Services Melanie Davidoff, joined Town Historian and Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society trustee Ross Lumpkin in cleaning headstones and lifting fallen stones in preparation for work by a specialized historical preservationist. Their efforts coincided with a recent Cub Scout flag-planting ceremony at the site.
Also known as the Old Dutch Cemetery, Monfort Cemetery contains gravestones dating back to the 1730s. It serves as the final resting place for at least 150 early Dutch settlers and their descendants, including the Onderdonk, Bogart, Schenck, and Monfort families, as well as the English Dodges. Notable burials include Revolutionary War patriots Adrian Onderdonk, Martin Schenck, and Peter Dodge, all signers of Cow Neck’s 1775 declaration of independence from Hempstead, whose leaders had pledged loyalty to King George III.
The work is part of a project ongoing for the past year and a half aimed at rehabilitating the cemetery in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
The collaborative effort underscores the commitment of local organizations to preserving Port Washington’s historic sites and honoring its early settlers.
