The Brookside Cemetery was incorporated into the town in 1880, but the first recorded burial on the site was in 1843. (Enterprise photo — Kevin Shea)

BLOOMINGDALE — A block of trees behind the rows of lichen-spotted headstones might solve the problem the Brookside Cemetery might soon face.

The cemetery, just off of state Route 3, had its first recorded grave in 1843, according to town Supervisor Davina Winemiller. She believes its possible there are unrecorded graves from that time. But now, less than 200 years later, space is running thin and soon there might be no place to bury the dead.

Four years ago, the cemetery had another issue: keeping it from crumbling. It was practice that families with plots would take care of their space, according to Winemiller, but as families have died out or moved away, there was no one to repair the cemetery. The solution came in the form of Saranac Lake High School track coach, modified football coach and middle school history teacher Cyrus Ellsworth. Four years ago, he started work on the walls, stones and brush in the cemetery.

“My property borders the cemetery, so when I drive by every day, I want it looking nice,” Ellsworth said.

Save a few walls, most of the work is done, but if no space is added, the number of plots will run out.

The way the cemetery is set up, from where the first plots start close to the road are the oldest members of the graveyard. Going further back, the headstones are newer and less worn down. Near the trees at the far end, there are only around 20 plots left. Winemiller said the number of plots sold by the town can vary from one to five in a year.

There are a few other cemeteries around town. An abandoned cemetery from the 1800s hasn’t been used for at least a century — it can be found across from Spencer Boatworks. Goodspeed Cemetery, which is past Franklin Falls, was owned by Paul Smith’s College, was then sold (with a larger parcel of land to Lincoln Brook Timber Company, who pays to maintain it. There is also Union cemetery, also in Franklin Falls, and is owned jointly by the towns of Franklin and St. Armand. The town of Franklin maintains it.

To many, Brookside cemetery is an important part of both Bloomingdale and the town. The history within the dirt is extensive. Within the first couple feet from road lies some of the first settlers of St. Armand. Gillespie, Noble and Toof are names you can find around here. As you go further back, you journey into civil war territory.

Captain James H. Pierce was in charge of a regiment known as the “Adirondack Regiment” during the civil war. The four years prior to volunteering to join the war he was town supervisor for St. Armand. After being captured and released years later, he returned and then worked a couple more years as a town supervisor from 1880 to 1882 and again in 1884.

Several inconspicuous grey stones bearing the last name Hazzard hold a history unknown by even some who curate the lawn every week. The family is a group of freed African-American slaves who found a home in Bloomingdale.

History might have to be logged elsewhere, however, if land isn’t purchased to grow the graveyard. Winemiller has another sight in the back of her mind, but what she and the town want to purchase is the forest behind where the graveyard ends, approximately one or two acres that’s a part of property owned by Richard and Carolyn Trudeau. A letter was sent earlier this month asking if the Trudeau’s would be favorable to having some of their land acquired. No response has been heard from the town yet.

Even if the Trudeau’s agree, preparation of the property could take one to three years depending on which portion of the land is worked on first. Higher up on the hill would take less time, according to Ellsworth. The entire process would consist of three parts: chipping the trees and removing them, putting in retaining walls and landscaping.