Skip to Main Content

South Bound Brook, New Jersey: Ukrainian Tombstones and Tributes

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

St. Andrews Ukrainian Cemetery

Address:
240 Main St., South Bound Brook, NJ
Directions:
St. Andrews Ukrainian Cemetery. The cemetery is behind St. Andrew Memorial Church, a towering building on the west side of Main St./Easton Ave. just north of I-287 exit 10.
Hours:
Gated after dark. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights
Ukrainian Tombstones and Tributes

The St. Andrews Ukrainian Cemetery is a modern burial ground with one-of-a-kind, elaborate tombstones and memorials.

Roadsideamerica.com Report... [02/26/2020]

Visitor Tips and News About Ukrainian Tombstones and Tributes

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Death mask on a gravestone.

Strange and Creepy Graves

Ukrainian cemetery features statues at the entrance, death mask grave, and other strange tombstones.

[Rich Frejomil, 11/10/2016]

Photo op gravestone.

Strange and Creepy Graves, Disgruntled Dead

You'd think that modern cemeteries wouldn't offer the creeps and offbeat tombstones like yesteryear's, but in this Ukrainian cemetery you'll find plenty of interesting and downright perplexing memorials to the dead.

Many have their own personal mini gardens -- enclosed spaces in front of the headstone that are full or weeds or carefully cultivated flora. Photographs on stones are abundant, each male countenance frowning more deeply than the last, it seemed to me. Some look seriously angry; maybe they can see their monstrosity of a grave site and aren't pleased.

A couple of stones stand out. Ming, the evil space emperor, Flash Gordon's nemesis, is one. He postures with a walrus mustache and gigantic sword. Perhaps his blade is the cause of so many disembodied heads that can be seen on various tombstones. Another good one has an inexplicable hole in the center of a polished black stone -- a perfect photo op, if nothing else.

But my favorite is the death mask grave. Did the deceased, in planning his final resting place, demand that his dead visage be cast and forever displayed, or did a ticked-off relative think it was his just desserts for some slight he made in life? It is a downright creepy thing to stumble across.

As a bonus, there are also two statues within the church grounds. One sits out front, on a throne, defying anyone to chuckle over the extravagant graveyard behind.

[Diane Plumley, 06/20/2013]

Not shy when it comes to afterlife commemoration.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Big Cow of MiddlebushBig Cow of Middlebush, Franklin Township, NJ - 4 mi.
Manila John Basilone, Hero of GuadalcanalManila John Basilone, Hero of Guadalcanal, Raritan, NJ - 6 mi.
Warren Harding Ended World War I HereWarren Harding Ended World War I Here, Raritan, NJ - 6 mi.
In the region:
Floating Elephant, Lounging Liberty, Warhol on Brillo Box, Staten Island, NY - 18 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

New Jersey Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights