It is a small burying ground used during the middle decades of the 19th century, before larger rural cemeteries had become common but after churchyards had become too full for further burials.

It fell into neglect and disrepair throughout much of the 20th century, but was cleaned and restored by a local historic preservation group in the 1990s.

Two large monuments stand out: a tall vase-shaped marker for Edward O'Neil, and an obelisk for Abraham Hasbrouck, a former state legislator and U.S.

The lots grew larger from the rear to the front, where subdivisions of 330 square feet (30.7 m2) had been reserved for the major religious denominations in town.

Churchyards dating to colonial times had begun to fill up, and with the village rapidly growing a rural cemetery would have set aside too much land.

Burying grounds, usually on the outskirts of communities, were large enough and rationally planned to handle the extra graves for the foreseeable future.

A decade later, Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester wrote in his history of the county that the old Sharp Burial Ground was "very handsome", but appeared to be getting neglected because of all the moved graves.