Mt. Sinai, NY
Satan's Trails
Devil's Gate
The Paranormal Adventurers
| Visiting Seaview Cemetery in Spring '09 |
Awakening Spirits in a Mt. Sinai Cemetery
By Joseph Flammer and Diane Hill
The Paranormal Adventurers
The Paranormal Adventurers
Seaview Cemetery is a place that
can make you feel alive.
A visit to this 121 year-old north
shore graveyard can do the soul
good. Its beauty and tranquility
awaken the spirit and inspire a
feeling of peace and
contemplation.
Local residents should add this
special site to their list of
interesting local places to
experience – if not for anything
else, just to better grasp a sense
the area’s rich history.
can make you feel alive.
A visit to this 121 year-old north
shore graveyard can do the soul
good. Its beauty and tranquility
awaken the spirit and inspire a
feeling of peace and
contemplation.
Local residents should add this
special site to their list of
interesting local places to
experience – if not for anything
else, just to better grasp a sense
the area’s rich history.
The environment is the major attraction. The grass sprouting on
the cemetery’s gentle hills turns lush green in spring. Spring is a
particularly good time to stroll the budding grounds because there
are no mosquitoes.
The blue sky is wide open. No buildings or telephone wires obstruct
the view, though there are many towering pine, red maple and
cedar trees. The fresh air carries the salty scent of the nearby blue
waters of the Long Island Sound. It’s a great place to sit on one of
the many stone or wooden benches placed about the grounds, or
stroll - just to clear the head and perhaps think about life.
Certainly, the headstones put one’s own life in perspective.
Birds of all types and colors visit this four-acre large cemetery,
including cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, red-breasted robins,
red-tailed hawks, pheasants, and smaller, less commonly seen birds,
such the tufted titmouse and black capped chickadee.
Right now the cemetery is conspicuously populated by gray and
white mockingbirds singing their loud songs of varied phrases as
they go about the work of constructing nests in the evergreens.
When we visited the cemetery recently a hymn tolled from the bell
tower of the white Mt. Sinai Congregational Church adjacent to
the graveyard as a flock of Canadian geese flew north overhead.
“It’s a beautiful, lovely old cemetery, especially when the seasons
change,” said Rev. Diane. Samuels, pastor of Mt. Sinai
Congregational Church. Her grandparents and other relatives are
buried in the cemetery, she said.
Rev. Samuels only concern with the cemetery is she suspects kids
visit the graveyard and local woods at night “to do things that
should not see the light of day”. “I see cars parked there
sometimes,” she said.
the cemetery’s gentle hills turns lush green in spring. Spring is a
particularly good time to stroll the budding grounds because there
are no mosquitoes.
The blue sky is wide open. No buildings or telephone wires obstruct
the view, though there are many towering pine, red maple and
cedar trees. The fresh air carries the salty scent of the nearby blue
waters of the Long Island Sound. It’s a great place to sit on one of
the many stone or wooden benches placed about the grounds, or
stroll - just to clear the head and perhaps think about life.
Certainly, the headstones put one’s own life in perspective.
Birds of all types and colors visit this four-acre large cemetery,
including cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, red-breasted robins,
red-tailed hawks, pheasants, and smaller, less commonly seen birds,
such the tufted titmouse and black capped chickadee.
Right now the cemetery is conspicuously populated by gray and
white mockingbirds singing their loud songs of varied phrases as
they go about the work of constructing nests in the evergreens.
When we visited the cemetery recently a hymn tolled from the bell
tower of the white Mt. Sinai Congregational Church adjacent to
the graveyard as a flock of Canadian geese flew north overhead.
“It’s a beautiful, lovely old cemetery, especially when the seasons
change,” said Rev. Diane. Samuels, pastor of Mt. Sinai
Congregational Church. Her grandparents and other relatives are
buried in the cemetery, she said.
Rev. Samuels only concern with the cemetery is she suspects kids
visit the graveyard and local woods at night “to do things that
should not see the light of day”. “I see cars parked there
sometimes,” she said.
The cemetery is located immediately east of Mt. Sinai Congregational Church on the north side of North
Country Road in Mt. Sinai.
Country Road in Mt. Sinai.
A mockingbird at Seaview Cemetery
Harry Randall, president of Seaview Cemetery Association, which oversees the cemetery, said kids used to
go into the woods behind the cemetery. The buildings they used to congregate in have since been demolished.
“Things are pretty quiet now,” he said.
Randall said a house that once stood on the former Chandler Estate - a complex of buildings including an
apartment house where Marilyn Monroe along with her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, is said to have
once stayed – was burned down some years ago, apparently by vandals.
Today the property is county parkland
thanks largely to the Mt. Sinai Civic
Association’s efforts to get the county
to acquire the land, bulldoze the
remaining buildings, and transform the
property to usable parkland.
“Park police patrol the park and keep
an eye on things, and that’s good for
the cemetery, too, because people see
the police are paying attention to the
whole area,” said Randall.
It’s no secret among local paranormal
enthusiasts that the former Chandler
Estate was once known as “Devil’s
Gate,” or “Satan’s Trails”. Stories
circulated about Satan worshipers
living as squatters in the old
abandoned house before it burned
down.
thanks largely to the Mt. Sinai Civic
Association’s efforts to get the county
to acquire the land, bulldoze the
remaining buildings, and transform the
property to usable parkland.
“Park police patrol the park and keep
an eye on things, and that’s good for
the cemetery, too, because people see
the police are paying attention to the
whole area,” said Randall.
It’s no secret among local paranormal
enthusiasts that the former Chandler
Estate was once known as “Devil’s
Gate,” or “Satan’s Trails”. Stories
circulated about Satan worshipers
living as squatters in the old
abandoned house before it burned
down.
Randall said Seaview is currently at near capacity with only about 90 plots still available. Some of his own
relatives are buried in the cemetery, including his great grandfather, John S. Randall who died in 1886, and
his grandfather, Forrest Randall who died in 1973.
There is much history of the north shore written on the graves in Seaview. Besides the Randalls, the Davis,
Miller, Smith, Woodhull and Tuthill families are just a handful of other local families represented in this
burying ground.
Andrew Miller, founder of the hamlet that is today called Miller Place, is buried in Seaview. His bones and
marker were moved to Seaview from a family cemetery where he was buried in 1717 when he reportedly
died in advanced age, back when Miller Place was called “Old Mans”.
It’s hard to know for sure who is buried in some of the older graves because the names have worn away and
only small brown crumpling sandstone markers remain.
“Sandstone doesn’t hold up well to time,” said Randall.
The gravestones of Seaview Cemetery are of different styles, designs, and materials, making the cemetery a
visually varied place.
“It’s a non-denominational cemetery, and unlike a national cemetery where all the stones are flat, we allow
any kind of stones people want,” said Randall.
According to legends members of a
satanic cult murdered people in the
house. Anyone trying to visit the place
by walking the trail from the cemetery
risked being attacked and sacrificed to
Satan. These silly B-movie type
fabrications motivated teenagers to
visit the grounds at night to dare each
other to go up the trail to the house.
Now the house and the legends are
gone.
White-tailed deer venture out from the
hollows of the local woods and walk
through the cemetery. They graze on
the grasses and chew the budding
leaves off bushes.
We have seen deer in the cemetery on
several occasions; most recently we
came face to face with three healthy
doe leisurely munching on early April
sprouts.
satanic cult murdered people in the
house. Anyone trying to visit the place
by walking the trail from the cemetery
risked being attacked and sacrificed to
Satan. These silly B-movie type
fabrications motivated teenagers to
visit the grounds at night to dare each
other to go up the trail to the house.
Now the house and the legends are
gone.
White-tailed deer venture out from the
hollows of the local woods and walk
through the cemetery. They graze on
the grasses and chew the budding
leaves off bushes.
We have seen deer in the cemetery on
several occasions; most recently we
came face to face with three healthy
doe leisurely munching on early April
sprouts.
Approaching the highest ground in the graveyard is Seaview’s only mausoleum. It’s an imposing
looking structure reminiscent of a federal building. The mausoleum inters the remains of James N.
Miller M.D., no doubt reflecting his prosperous station in life at the time of his death. Ironically,
according to a Miller family genealogy available online, James N. Miller was probably from New
Jersey.
The best part of walking the grounds of this cemetery is seeing all the signs of love that are evident
everywhere. People leave gifts of knickknacks, statues, and flowers, and place rocks on top of
gravestones as signs they were recently at the cemetery saying ‘I love you’ to the people they miss.
looking structure reminiscent of a federal building. The mausoleum inters the remains of James N.
Miller M.D., no doubt reflecting his prosperous station in life at the time of his death. Ironically,
according to a Miller family genealogy available online, James N. Miller was probably from New
Jersey.
The best part of walking the grounds of this cemetery is seeing all the signs of love that are evident
everywhere. People leave gifts of knickknacks, statues, and flowers, and place rocks on top of
gravestones as signs they were recently at the cemetery saying ‘I love you’ to the people they miss.
There are sad reminders of lives cut short, as well. One
feels deep sadness seeing the gravestone erected for
Samantha and Lisa Egan who grew up in Rocky Point.
The sisters, 24 and 31 respectively, had their lives
snatched away from them by terrorists who flew a
jetliner into Tower One of the World Trade Center on
September 11, 2001. The sisters worked for the same
company on the 104th floor.
Rocky Point was devastated by their senseless deaths.
They were beautiful, productive, precious women, and
many people loved them.
A photograph of the pretty blond sisters is displayed on
their large headstone, and a poem by D.A. Egan is
written on a brass plaque. The first two lines of the
28-line poem read:
If I could but reach across the vale of grief
And hold you once more by the hand.
feels deep sadness seeing the gravestone erected for
Samantha and Lisa Egan who grew up in Rocky Point.
The sisters, 24 and 31 respectively, had their lives
snatched away from them by terrorists who flew a
jetliner into Tower One of the World Trade Center on
September 11, 2001. The sisters worked for the same
company on the 104th floor.
Rocky Point was devastated by their senseless deaths.
They were beautiful, productive, precious women, and
many people loved them.
A photograph of the pretty blond sisters is displayed on
their large headstone, and a poem by D.A. Egan is
written on a brass plaque. The first two lines of the
28-line poem read:
If I could but reach across the vale of grief
And hold you once more by the hand.
A large statue of an angel with the face of a young
boy holding a baseball in his right hand stands at the
head of the gravesite of nine-year old Thomas Jay
Riker II who died in 1998.
On the gravestone Thomas’ family lovingly inscribed:
“Our Angel in the Outfield”.
A toy car sits at the angel’s feet, and smaller statues
of an angel, a bunny, and a butterfly decorate the base
of Thomas’ gravestone.
Someone who loves him recently tied purple balloons
and a larger silver balloon saying, “Happy
Anniversary,” to the angel’s arm.
boy holding a baseball in his right hand stands at the
head of the gravesite of nine-year old Thomas Jay
Riker II who died in 1998.
On the gravestone Thomas’ family lovingly inscribed:
“Our Angel in the Outfield”.
A toy car sits at the angel’s feet, and smaller statues
of an angel, a bunny, and a butterfly decorate the base
of Thomas’ gravestone.
Someone who loves him recently tied purple balloons
and a larger silver balloon saying, “Happy
Anniversary,” to the angel’s arm.
From a paranormal perspective - which is the perspective that we, as The Paranormal Adventurers
usually look at things – Seaview Cemetery is a paranormally inactive place. Neither of us ever
experienced anything ghostly there and we have been to the graveyard many times.
We go there mostly because we have grown to love the cemetery’s warm personality. We like to stretch
our legs, relax, clear our heads and talk as we walk the now-familiar grounds, reading the inscriptions on
the stones as we move along.
However, we should note that on one autumn visit to the cemetery a pair of sparrows refused to move
out of the way of our approaching SUV as we navigated the narrow dirt road leading through the graves.
We waited, inched forward, and even gently beeped the horn, but it didn’t help. We just had to wait
several minutes until the birds felt like flying off. To us the event was highly unusual, even unnatural, but
not necessarily paranormal. It was actually refreshing to see birds that weren’t intimidated by humans.
At six in the evening a hymn played in the belfry atop the stately white Mount Sinai Congregational
Church, built in 1807. A gentle wind blew and large puffy white clouds drifted across the sky. It was a
moment of gentle peace and tranquility, much appreciated in our busy lives.
Evening was now settling in. The shadows had grown long and the air was getting cooler. It was time to
go home.
We commented to each other, as we walked down the steps from the cemetery to the church parking lot
where we had parked our car, about what an oasis for the spirit this cemetery is for anyone who wants to
get away for a little while to see some local beauty, to think, and remember what life is all about.
-30-
usually look at things – Seaview Cemetery is a paranormally inactive place. Neither of us ever
experienced anything ghostly there and we have been to the graveyard many times.
We go there mostly because we have grown to love the cemetery’s warm personality. We like to stretch
our legs, relax, clear our heads and talk as we walk the now-familiar grounds, reading the inscriptions on
the stones as we move along.
However, we should note that on one autumn visit to the cemetery a pair of sparrows refused to move
out of the way of our approaching SUV as we navigated the narrow dirt road leading through the graves.
We waited, inched forward, and even gently beeped the horn, but it didn’t help. We just had to wait
several minutes until the birds felt like flying off. To us the event was highly unusual, even unnatural, but
not necessarily paranormal. It was actually refreshing to see birds that weren’t intimidated by humans.
At six in the evening a hymn played in the belfry atop the stately white Mount Sinai Congregational
Church, built in 1807. A gentle wind blew and large puffy white clouds drifted across the sky. It was a
moment of gentle peace and tranquility, much appreciated in our busy lives.
Evening was now settling in. The shadows had grown long and the air was getting cooler. It was time to
go home.
We commented to each other, as we walked down the steps from the cemetery to the church parking lot
where we had parked our car, about what an oasis for the spirit this cemetery is for anyone who wants to
get away for a little while to see some local beauty, to think, and remember what life is all about.
-30-
The hundreds of gravesites – some of
which date back to the 1700’s, are
steadfastly tended to with the grass
trimmed away to keep the stones
unobstructed. The rural grounds are well
maintained. Some of the gravestones are
broken, victims of storms and centuries of
passing time.
Randall said the cemetery was founded in
1888 and any gravestones that predate
1888 had been moved there from small
family cemeteries in the area.
“The bones and markers were dug up
from older cemeteries and moved to
Seaview,” said Randall.
He added several family cemeteries still
exist in the Miller Place-Mt. Sinai area -
some in residential backyards.
which date back to the 1700’s, are
steadfastly tended to with the grass
trimmed away to keep the stones
unobstructed. The rural grounds are well
maintained. Some of the gravestones are
broken, victims of storms and centuries of
passing time.
Randall said the cemetery was founded in
1888 and any gravestones that predate
1888 had been moved there from small
family cemeteries in the area.
“The bones and markers were dug up
from older cemeteries and moved to
Seaview,” said Randall.
He added several family cemeteries still
exist in the Miller Place-Mt. Sinai area -
some in residential backyards.
And the story of:
Seaview Cemetery and the Mt. Sinai the Congregational Church.
This beautiful church is not affiliated with
Seaview Cemetery, but ghost hunters often
mistakenly call Seaview "the Congregational
Church Cemetery".
Seaview Cemetery, but ghost hunters often
mistakenly call Seaview "the Congregational
Church Cemetery".
Sign on gate behind cemetery announces the path leading into the
woods that were once called "Satan's Trails" and "Devil's Gate"
Suffolk County parklands.
woods that were once called "Satan's Trails" and "Devil's Gate"
Suffolk County parklands.
A doe pauses to take a look around while grazing at Seaview
Cemetery. On this day, three doe leisurely grazed the grounds
for an hour before wandering into the county parklands.
Cemetery. On this day, three doe leisurely grazed the grounds
for an hour before wandering into the county parklands.
Seaview's sole mausoleum.
A bench before the grave site of the Egan sisters,
who were killed in the 9/11 attack in 2001.
who were killed in the 9/11 attack in 2001.
A poem dedicated to the Egan sisters by D.A. Egan.
A statue of an angel with a baseball in his right
hand marks the grave of Thomas Jay Riker II
who died at nine-years old. Lovingly written on
Thomas' stone are the words, "Our Angel in
the Outfield."
hand marks the grave of Thomas Jay Riker II
who died at nine-years old. Lovingly written on
Thomas' stone are the words, "Our Angel in
the Outfield."
All photos by Joseph Flammer
Satan's Trails
The woods of:
Devil's Gate
An old dilapidated house in the woods behind
Seaview Cemetery. The empty house was up for
sale at the time this photo was taken in 2009 . It
was never part of the complex of buildings to which
so many legends of killer satanists and ghosts have
been ascribed. Jason Stevens, who for several
years lived in the house with his uncle, reported
that while he had heard strange stories of the
paranormal associated with buildings once on the
Chandler Estate, neither he nor his uncle ever
experienced anything ghostly or paranormal in the
house they lived in. He said he finds if funny that
ghost hunters who visited the old house after he
moved out believed it to be haunted. "It's not
haunted at all," he said.
Seaview Cemetery. The empty house was up for
sale at the time this photo was taken in 2009 . It
was never part of the complex of buildings to which
so many legends of killer satanists and ghosts have
been ascribed. Jason Stevens, who for several
years lived in the house with his uncle, reported
that while he had heard strange stories of the
paranormal associated with buildings once on the
Chandler Estate, neither he nor his uncle ever
experienced anything ghostly or paranormal in the
house they lived in. He said he finds if funny that
ghost hunters who visited the old house after he
moved out believed it to be haunted. "It's not
haunted at all," he said.