About Us

Batavia was founded in 1801 by Joseph Ellicott, resident agent for The Holland Land Company, who is buried in the Historic Batavia Cemetery. The Holland Land Company purchased 3.5 million acres from Robert Morris, “Financier of the American Revolution”, who acquired the land from the State of Massachusetts. The Seneca Nation gave up their rights to the land through the 1797 Treaty of Big Tree for a payment of $100,000.

The first cemetery in Batavia was established in 1806 on the Tonawanda Creek near what is today South Lyon Street. After the site on the Tonawanda Creek was declared unsuitable because of high water problems, the Batavia Cemetery was relocated in 1823 to Cemetery Street, now Harvester Avenue, between the two railroads on Lot 43. The parcel, which was owned by St. James’ Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church, was laid out by Ebenezer Mix into 88 plots.

Batavia Cemetery was designated the first historic site by the newly established City of Batavia Historic Preservation Commission in 1996, and was listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places in 2002. A Historic Landscape Award was received from the Landmark Society of Western New York in 1998.

The Historic Batavia Cemetery is a destination for cultural heritage tourism, landscape, history, genealogy, art, architecture and much more.