February 24, 2023 Albany, NY
New York State Takes Ownership of Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery from Seneca County, ­­Renaming as the "New York State Veterans Cemetery – Finger Lakes"
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the establishment of New York's first-ever State Veterans Cemetery, made possible with the transfer of ownership of the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery from Seneca County to the State and $2.8 million available from the National Cemetery Administration. First identified as the appropriate location in 2021, the Cemetery will ensure the State can provide dignified burial options for New York's veterans and their families. The State Division of Veterans' Services will oversee the cemetery, which has been renamed the New York State Veterans Cemetery – Finger Lakes, in accordance with national standards for state veterans cemeteries.

The New York State Veterans Cemetery – Finger Lakes occupies 162 acres along Seneca Lake in Romulus, Seneca County and is adjacent to Sampson State Park. The site has 147 acres of land available for development and construction projects to ensure it serves as an honored resting place for New York State's heroes for generations to come. The Cemetery is located at the site of the former Sampson Naval Training Station and Sampson Air Force Base, where hundreds of thousands of service members trained during World War II and the Korean War. The site later functioned as a temporary college and a separation center for service members being discharged, and officially closed in 2000. The Cemetery is located near Waterloo, the community recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

Veterans, service members, and military families are encouraged to contact the New York State Division of Veteran Services at 888-838-7697 or website
https://veterans.ny.gov/