In Green-Wood’s early years, its visitors’ entrance was along 24th Street. However, when bars sprung up along the access road just outside the cemetery, Green-Wood decided it had to move its entrance. So, in 1860, Green-Wood hired Richard Upjohn, the first president of the American Institute of Architects, and his son, Richard Michell Upjohn, to … Read more
Green-Wood Cemetery is, at its core, a place of burial and mourning. But, it is much more than that. Since its founding in 1838, Green-Wood has functioned at many levels: quasi public park, sculpture garden, arboretum, bird habitat, and more. Historically, there has been a tension at Green-Wood over these layers of usage. In the … Read more
Sometimes showing up is a big part of the battle. But, even if you do show up, you have to make every effort to head in the right direction. I recently heard from Albin Lohr-Jones, who had come across a nice little marble sculpture at Green-Wood. When Albin found it, it looked to his eye like … Read more
This past Saturday, about 55 people gathered at Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel for the launch of the New York Chapter of the Association for Gravestones Studies. The Association for Gravestone Studies is described on its website as follows: The Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) was founded in 1977 for the purpose of furthering the study and … Read more
Hurricane Sandy hit Green-Wood a year ago today. 300 trees were lost. And those trees took a toll as they crashed to the ground, landing on, and shattering, monuments and fences. But Green-Wood, as always, has bounced back–thanks to its extraordinary workers. In just the last few weeks, two important restoration projects–one of a marble … Read more
Contributions to our general fund are the most welcome of gifts. We will put your dollars to work right away to help preserve and restore our spectacular landscape and underwrite our many tours, public programs and education. Please click on an option below to contribute. Use the notes box on the next page to indicate … Read more
Green-Wood recently hosted its third annual “Open Houses” event. It is a great opportunity for volunteers to dress up in costume (from the Theater Development Fund) and get into character, greeting visitors to “their” mausoleums. And it is a wonderful chance for visitors to see Green-Wood as they have never seen it before–an inside look … Read more
We recently held a coming out party in our Historic Chapel to introduce the public to developments in our events, collections, and archives. The evening was co-sponsored by the Archives Round Table of Metropolitan New York. The proceedings began with a wine and cheese reception outside the Chapel, on a lovely fall evening. Then it … Read more
Back in April of last year, I led a tour of Green-Wood for a class of Cooper Union students. At the end of the tour, their instructor, Michael Dorsch, asked me to show them our display of 19th-century vault keys in our offices. I did so and the students were fascinated. In fact, I soon … Read more
Last Thursday evening, The Green-Wood Historic Fund held is 6th annual benefit. And it was far and away our best yet! More than 250 people attended. The evening began with a cocktail party at Tranquility Gardens–around the koi pond there. A jazz ensemble serenaded the attendees. Mike Sheehan shot these photographs that tell the story … Read more