Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground
Founded around 1685, this is the church and churchyard that appear in Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
“Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of those parts, who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts concerning this spectre, allege that the body of the trooper, having been buried in the church-yard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head; and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the church-yard before daybreak.”
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
No restroom facilities. Grounds close at 4:30 pm, no entry after 4:30. All groups must register in advance with the church office.
Built around 1685, the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow is the church and churchyard that appear in Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Irving wrote of it: “To look upon its grass-grown yard, where the sunbeams seem to sleep so quietly, one would think that there at least the dead might rest in peace.”
It’s often confused with the adjacent but separate Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, which surrounds and extends beyond it. The church’s own three-acre Old Dutch Burying Ground — believed to predate the church itself — is the purported haunt of the Headless Horseman, and the resting place of colonial-era residents who are thought to have inspired Irving’s characters, including the models for Katrina Van Tassel and Brom Bones. Washington Irving himself is buried just up the hill, in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
Recognized as the oldest church in New York State still standing and a National Historic Landmark, the building was constructed around 1685 and formally organized as a Dutch Reformed congregation in 1697. The date is drawn from the church’s bell, cast in Holland and inscribed with a line from Romans — “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” — along with the year 1685.
The Old Dutch Church served as the congregation’s sole home for more than 150 years. In 1837 its growing membership built a larger church nearby — the “new” building that, with a later successor, remains the congregation’s main home today as the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns. Rather than abandon the old church, the congregation kept it for worship on summer Sundays and special holidays — a custom that continues nearly two centuries later.
This is a consecrated building of an active congregation. Please be respectful of worship services, weddings, and funerals.
How to Visit the Old Dutch Church
Location: The Old Dutch Church stands at approximately 430 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591, on Route 9 just north of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery’s south gate. The congregation and its office are based at the “new” church a bit south in Tarrytown, at 42 N. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591; direct all inquiries and tour requests there. Church office: 914-631-4497. Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns · Friends of the Old Dutch Church
Burying Ground hours: Open to visitors daily until 4:30 pm; no entry after 4:30. There are no restroom facilities on site.
Parking: None on site. There is limited parking inside the adjacent Sleepy Hollow Cemetery; all vehicles and pedestrians must exit the cemetery no later than 4:30 pm. Buses, RV’s and commercial vehicles are prohibited in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
Groups: All organized tour groups must arrange permission in advance through the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns ([email protected]), noting the organizer and tour leader’s contact information, the date and time, and the group size. Groups wishing to see Washington Irving’s grave must make separate arrangements with Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
When it’s open: Outside of October, the church interior is only open occasionally — chiefly around Easter, on Christmas Eve, and for its summer music services. Visitors who attend the Sunday 10:30 am summer service may sometimes stay afterward to take photos or speak with a docent. Guided churchyard tours are offered on October weekends.
Self-Guided Tours
Pick up a copy of Tales of the Old Dutch Burying Ground from Sleepy Hollow Gifts. A fold-out map at the center of the book guides you through the churchyard. For a deeper history, The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow: Legends and Lore of the Oldest Church in New York is available through the church office; proceeds support preservation of the church and burying ground.
Seasonal Highlights
The church is at its liveliest in autumn, when it anchors the historic core of Sleepy Hollow’s Halloween season — steps from the Headless Horseman statue and bridge, and a short walk from the fall events at Philipsburg Manor. October is also the one time churchyard tours run regularly. In summer, the “Seven Sundays of Worship and Music” services bring guest musicians to the historic sanctuary. Around the winter holidays, the congregation holds Christmas Eve candlelight services and partners with Historic Hudson Valley on a dramatic reading of Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol.”
Visiting Without a Car
The church sits on North Broadway (Route 9) in Sleepy Hollow, walkable from the Philipse Manor Metro-North station (under a mile) or a short taxi/rideshare from the Tarrytown station. Because parking depends on the adjacent cemetery and closes at 4:30 pm, arriving by train can be simpler. See Sleepy Hollow Without a Car: Visiting by Train for details.