Federal Flats Cemetery 

Federal Flats Cemetery is one of Minerva’s historic burial grounds, owned and cared for by the Minerva Historical Society. The cemetery has served families in the Federal Flats area for generations and remains an important part of Minerva’s rural heritage and community memory.
Today, the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association oversees the upkeep of the grounds, the care of the stones, and the coordination of interments in accordance with New York State cemetery law.

​Guidelines for Families & Visitors

​Federal Flats Cemetery is a historic resting place cared for by the Minerva Historical Society.
To preserve the dignity, safety, and peaceful character of the grounds, we follow New York State cemetery law and a set of Society-adopted rules.
Interments & Lot Use
  • Cemetery lots may only be used for the burial of human remains.
  • All burials must be approved in advance by the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association.
  • When requesting an interment, families will be asked to provide basic information such as the name of the deceased, date of birth (if known), date of death, and planned interment date.
  • Only those legally entitled under New York State Not-for-Profit Corporation Law may be buried in a lot.
  • Lot owners may not resell or transfer lots except under the conditions allowed by state law.
Monuments, Foundations & Plantings
  • All monuments and markers must be made of granite or bronze and may not contain artificial colors.
  • Monuments may cover no more than 20% of the grave surface.
  • Headstone foundations prepared only by professional (usually funeral home)- not by cemetery
  • Absolutely NO tree or bush plantings. Plants that become unsafe or overgrown may be removed.
  • Glass vases, jars, or breakable containers are not permitted for safety reasons.
Maintenance & Decoration
  • Flowers and wreaths may be placed on graves but will be removed once they become unsightly or unsafe.
  • The Cemetery Association may remove any item or embellishment that poses a hazard.
Access, Vehicles & Visiting Hours
  • The cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours.
  • All vehicles and funeral processions are under the direction of the cemetery superintendent while on the grounds.
  • Heavy vehicles may be refused entry during wet or fragile road conditions.
Burial Conditions & Winter Restrictions
  • Graves may not be opened between December and May if frost or weather conditions make excavation unsafe.
  • Disinterments between December and May are permitted only if all state requirements are met.
  • Concrete vaults or grave liners are strongly recommended for all new interments (per Cemetery Board Directive 202.6).
  • Cremated remains may not be scattered on cemetery grounds and must be placed in an approved container.
  • Each grave may hold one full burial and/or up to four cremated remains.
Full Rules & Regulations (Official Text)
RULES AND REGULATIONS
of the
MINERVA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PERTAINING TO THE FEDERAL FLATS CEMETERY
All lots in the Federal Flats Cemetery are sold in accordance with the provisions of the laws of the State of New York and shall not be used for any other purpose than as a burial place for dead human beings.
No interment shall be allowed without permission being first obtained from the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association. At the time of applying for permission, the following information must be furnished:
  1. Name of deceased.
  2. Age of deceased – including date of birth, if known.
  3. Place of birth of deceased, if known.
  4. Date of death.
  5. Time and date of interment.
  6. If not an adult – the names of parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of deceased.
Lot owners are prohibited from allowing interments to be made on their lots for compensation.
Interments in a lot are restricted to those entitled to burial therein according to the terms of Section 1512 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. Permission for burial of those not entitled to burial according to the said Section must be filed with the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association by the lot owner(s).
Except as provided for in Section 1513(c) of the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law, no owner may transfer his or her lot.
The full purchase price must be paid before a receipt will be given or burial allowed on the lot.
The Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association reserves the right to remove all flowers, wreaths, or other decorations from lots as soon as they become unsightly.
The Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association reserves the right to remove, after due notice to the lot owner, any embellishment on the lot, effigy or inscription which, in the opinion of the majority of the trustees or directors, is unsightly or dangerous.
The Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association reserves the right to restrict the planting of shrubs and trees and to remove any shrub or tree deemed dangerous to the public, upon due notice to the lot owner.
All funerals, processions and vehicles will be under the control of the superintendent while in the cemetery.
No vault or mausoleum shall be built above ground without permission of the board of directors and then only in such location as they may approve.
No monuments or markers shall be permitted which utilize colors other than those of natural stone.
Placing of glass blocks or vases as receptacles for flowers, either artificial or grown, on graves or plots, is prohibited.
All foundations will be constructed by or under the direction of the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association.
All work done in the cemetery shall be done by cemetery employees or under the control or with the permission of the board of directors.
Monuments are restricted in size to dimensions which will not cover more than 20% of the surface area of the lot. The bases of all monuments shall be finished true and level so as to fit on foundations without wedging or sprawls.
No monument will be allowed to be delivered in the cemetery until the foundation is installed and ready to receive the monument.
Corner stones are required on all lots and must be installed within 6 months of purchase of the lot.
Heavy trucking or other vehicular traffic shall be refused entrance to the cemetery when, in the opinion of the board of directors, injury to roads and driveways might result.
All persons shall be allowed access to the cemetery during daylight hours, observing the rules which are in effect and the propriety due the Cemetery.
All monuments and markers must be constructed of granite or bronze.
Disinterments will be allowed between December and May, provided the provisions of Section 1510(e) of Not-For-Profit Corporation Law are complied with.
Interments on Sunday and Holidays will be governed by Cemetery Board Directives 202.8 and 202.12.
Graves will not be opened between December and May when frost and weather conditions warrant such refusal.
Cremated remains will not be permitted to be scattered in any part of the cemetery.
Concrete vaults or concrete grave liners will be strongly suggested for interments in all graves purchased on or after November 1, 1996, in accordance with the provisions of Cemetery Board Directive 202.6.
The interment of cremated remains will be permitted only in appropriate rigid receptacles such as wood, metal, plastic or concrete.
Only one human remains and/or four cremated remains will be permitted in each grave.
These rules and regulations may be amended by the directors of said Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association, but no such amendments shall be effective until approved by the New York State Cemetery Board.
Map & Directions
From Sullivan's Store1396 Co Rd 29, Olmstedville, NY 12857
  • Head west on Co Rd 29 toward Church Rd
    • 49 ft
  • Turn right onto A P Morse Hwy
    • 0.6 mi
  • Turn right onto Federal Flats Rd 
    • Destination will be on the left
    • 0.2 mi

Olmstedville, NY 12857
Need Assistance
For questions about Federal Flats Cemetery, including lot information, burials, or maintenance, please contact:
Federal Flats Cemetery
Primary Contact:
• Cindy Perkins – 518-494-7193
Resources & News
Related Quarterly Articles
These churches and cemeteries are not owned by MHS. Contact information is provided as a community resource.

MINERVA CHURCHES 

Minerva Baptist Church
15 Morse Memorial Hwy
Minerva, NY 12851
518-251-4294

Grace Bible Fellowship Independent Baptist
1427 North Gore Road
Olmstedville, NY 12857
518-251-3290
vmchurches.org/c/grace-bible-fellowship

Saint Joseph’s Church
639 Church Road
Olmstedville, NY 12857
http://www.stjosephsolmstedville.org/

MINERVA CEMETERIES​

Minerva Baptist Cemetery
Fred Morse:  Primary contact518-251-2786
Peg Lamphear:  Secondary contact518-251-3056

Federal Flats Cemetery
Cindy Perkins: Primary contact518-494-7193
www.minervahistoricalsociety.org/federalflatscemetery.html

Saint Joseph Cemetery
John West:  Primary contact518-251-2313
Betty LeMay:  Secondary contact518-251-2929
Diane McNally:  Secondary contact518-251-3204
Federal Flats Cemetery is maintained by the Minerva Historical Society Cemetery Association and follows all rules and requirements established by the New York State Cemetery Board.