An historical marker at the South Entrance to the cemetery provides the following information:
Historic Albany Rural
Cemetery Est. 1841.
Burial site of Pres. Arthur,
governors, statesmen
and private citizens
Noted for it's natural beauty
sculptures and architecture
Cemetery Association & Hist. Soc.
Town of Colonie
1982
"Incorporated in 1841 and dedicated in 1844, Albany Rural Cemetery is a blend of generations of citizens originally interred in early burying grounds and a modern active burying ground.
History
A President of the United States is joined by 5 Governors, 3 members of the Continental Congress, 2 members of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, 13 members of the Colonial Assembly, 8 Presidential Cabinet members, 5 Ambassadors and many Senators, Congressmen, and Judges."
-- Source
"The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Colonie, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over 400 acres (1.6 km2). Many historical American figures are buried there.
History
On April 2, 1841, an Association was formed to bring the cemetery into being. A committee of the Association selected the site on April 20, 1844. The cemetery originally contained 100 acres (0.40 km2). This portion was consecrated October 7, 1844. The first interment was made in May, 1845. Located near the entrance is the Louis Menand House.
In 1868, bodies from other cemeteries were removed and reinterred in Albany Rural Cemetery."
-- Source
The cemetery was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1979. We were unable to discover the number of graves in this cemetery, but it is substantial... likely over 50,000.