Willard Cemetery

Willard Asylum for the Insane was once one of the largest institutions in Upstate New York that housed more than 4,000 patients at its peak. Founded in 1869 as an alternative to poorhouses and prisons, the asylum remained open until its closure in 1995 when it had 135 patients. While the campus has closed, the buildings that housed more than 25,000 patients and staff remain frozen in time. The grounds and buildings are not open to the public, but the cemetery across the street from the asylum overlooking Seneca Lake is open from dawn until dusk for anyone who would like to visit the graves of those who passed while residing on the grounds. 5,776 patients were buried on the grounds between 1870 and 2000.