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Visit Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn

This post explains how you can take a tour of Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, both guided as well as self-guided tours. Admission is free every day.

Introduction

• Who is Buried Here

Guided Tours

• Self-Guided Tour

Hours and Directions

• Things to Do in Brooklyn

Opened in 1838, over half a million people are buried in Green-wood Cemetery.

Among them are many notable Americans ( see below ) and over 5,000 fallen civil war soldiers.

The land that Green-wood is on was the site of the first Revolutionary War battle, the Battle of Long Island. A few heroes of the Revolutionary War are buried here.

There are also individuals buried here who you've never heard but whose life stories and tales of their demise make a tour of Green-wood really fascinating.

Green-wood is also one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the U.S. The views are wonderful and you can see all the way to Lower Manhattan.

There are grand public monuments, as well as stunning family shrines, private mausoleums, and even catacombs.

Some consider it to be one of the finest 19th-century and 20th-century "open-air galleries" of neo-renaissance, neoclassical, and Victorian-style statues.

Because of its historic significance as well as its beautiful monuments, headstones, and landscaping, a tour of Green-wood Cemetery will not disappoint.

Read more about its history below . To find out about taking a tour, see the tour section further down in this post.

Who Is Buried Here?

Many influential Americans whose contributions and innovations changed the world are buried in Green-wood Cemetery.

There are countless Civil War soldiers and some Generals.

There are also some Revolutionary War heroes and even a 'founding father', William Livingston (1723–1790), a signer of the U.S. Constitution and first Governor of New Jersey.

Here are some of the other notable individuals buried in Green-wood:

Political and Public Figures

• Rev. Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), Pastor of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn Heights and nationally-known abolitionist
• Peter Cooper (1791–1883), inventor, manufacturer, abolitionist, and founder of Cooper Union in the East Village
• DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), seventh and ninth Governor of New York, and US Senator from New York

Famous Women

• Susan McKinney Steward (1847–1918 ), the third African-American woman to earn a medical degree, and the first in New York state
• Mary Jacobi (1842-1906), physician, teacher, scientist, writer, and suffragist
• Abigail Hopper Gibbons (1801-1893), abolitionist, schoolteacher, and social welfare activist
• Laura Keene (1826-1873), 19th-century actress who was on stage during Lincoln’s assassination
• Kate Claxton (1848-1924), performer on stage during the Brooklyn Theater fire of 1876
• Isabella Goodwin (1865-1943), first woman detective in the New York Police Department
• Elias Howe (1819–1867), sewing machine
• Samuel F. B. Morse (1791–1872), the telegraph and Morse code
• Walter Hunt (1785–1869), safety pin
• Charles Feltman (1841–1910) - said to be the first person to put a hot dog on a bun

Cultural Figures

• Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988), artist and muralist, part of the SoHo art scene in the early 1980s
• Eastman Johnson (1824–1906), co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Frederick August Otto Schwarz (1836–1911), founder of famed toy store FAO Schwarz
• Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990), conductor of the NY Philharmonic, based in Carnegie Hall and then Lincoln Center
• Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), known for his stained glass windows, such as the Tiffany Clock in Grand Central Terminal

Baseball Figures

• James Creighton, Jr. (1841–1862), the first pitcher to throw a fastball
• Charles Ebbets (1859–1925), owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, built Ebbets Field
• Henry Chadwick (1824–1908), Baseball Hall of Fame member

Gangsters and Mobsters

• Albert Anastasia (1903–1957), mobster and contract killer for Murder, Inc.
• “Crazy” Joey Gallo (1929–1972), a member of the Columbo crime family, shot down in Little Italy
• William "Bill the Butcher" Poole (1821–1855), leader of the notorious Bowery Boys gang in Five Points

Newspaper Publishers

• Horace Greeley (1811–1872), founder of the New York Tribune
• James Gordon Bennett, Sr. (1795–1872), founder/publisher of the New York Herald
• Henry Jarvis Raymond (1820–1869), founder of the New York Times

Green-wood Cemetery offers a Historic Trolley for $30 per person. Tours are running as of Summer 2024 on Saturdays from 1 pm - 3 pm.

You are accompanied by an expert tour guide who will share the intriguing stories of the more notable permanent "residents".

Book your tour here. These tours routinely sell out so reserve tickets in advance.

Green-wood also has special events, such as occasional nighttime events, or tours of the Catacombs.

See the Green-wood Cemetery Events Calendar to find out what's scheduled while you are here.

Self-Guided Tours

Admission to Green-Wood is free at all times, and free maps are available at the entrance at 5th Avenue and 25th Street in Brooklyn.

You can download this free pdf version of a map of Green-Wood or download their free  Mobile App .

See the Green-wood Cemetery website for detailed directions .

Green-wood is open 7 days a week. Hours vary by season and by entrance. Here are the entry points and hours they are open:

Main Entrance (Fifth Avenue and 25th Street) 7 am to 7 pm

Sunset Park Entrance (Fourth Avenue and 35th Street) 8 am to 7 pm

Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance (Fort Hamilton Parkway and Micieli Place) and Prospect Park West Entrance (Prospect Park West and 20th Street) will each be open from 11 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday (pedestrian gate only). On Saturday and Sunday, gates are open 8 am to 7 pm (pedestrian gate) with vehicle admittance from 8 am to 4pm.

History of Green-wood Cemetery

In America until the 1830s, burials were located in graveyards -- small plots of land usually belonging to the adjacent church or a town hall.

New York City’s Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan both have graveyards that date back to pre-Revolutionary times.

According to maps of early 1800s Manhattan, there were at least a dozen small graveyards below 12th Street, but these tended to be reserved for the deceased of wealthy or well-connected families.

Meanwhile, immigrants began arriving in New York City by the tens of thousands and as the city’s living population soared, so did the need for more space to bury its dead.

City planners began to address this issue and one major obstacle was the lack of space and the high real estate prices within New York City (which until 1898 was only the Island of Manhattan). City planners had to look for land located beyond the city limits.

At the same time, cities like Paris and Boston were experimenting with a new kind of cemetery, designed to be pastoral, serene and airy, unlike the cramped, dreary city graveyards.

The earliest grand and intentionally “rural” cemeteries were Pere Lachaise in Paris (1806) and Mount Auburn in Boston (1831).

In stepped Henry Pierrepont, a prominent and wealthy resident of the City (now borough) of Brooklyn, then one of the most important cities in the world.

Pierrepont felt strongly that the 300,000 residents of Brooklyn deserved a cemetery of grandeur, far removed from the hustle and bustle of city life, and that would offer both a serene setting for afternoon strolls for the living and eternal homes to Brooklyn’s dearly departed.

A board of trustees was formed and 478 acres of farmland in Brooklyn were purchased. With Pierrepont’s influence, engineer and designer Major David Bates Douglass was commissioned to develop Green-wood. The result was magnificent.

Located on the highest peaks in Brooklyn, Green-wood was more like a grand English park, with its rolling hills, natural ponds, and walking paths that wind through expanses of lush green lawns dotted with flowers and succulents, sculptures and architectural monuments

Green-wood's landscaping was so exceptional that it served as an inspiration to Calvert Vaux, the designer of Central Park and Prospect Park .

Ironically, what Green-wood didn’t inspire were customers.

Despite the splendor and space, it offered for burials, its potential clientele mainly lived in Manhattan and would have to be ferried over for burial.

In Green-wood’s early years there was a reluctance by New Yorkers to purchase plots in Distant Brooklyn.

Then, in 1844, the cemetery’s trustees devised a brilliant public relations stunt that gave the cemetery instant celebrity status.

They arranged to move the body of a multi-term New York mayor, U.S. Senator, and Governor, DeWitt Clinton, (who died in 1828) from his modest Albany grave to a new site at Green-Wood.

Soon the cemetery was selling huge plots of land for tombs, shrines, and even mausoleums and catacombs to families of the ‘rich and famous’ in anticipation of the inevitable.

Within 20 years of its opening, Green-wood was just as popular with the living as it was with the dead.

It attracted 500,000 visitors a year, rivaling only Niagara Falls for the greatest number of tourists.

When you visit Green-wood it is easy to understand why people flocked here to stroll and even picnic on the grass.

Green-wood is a feast for the eyes, with an abundance of finely-sculpted headstones that tell the stories of those who lie beneath them.

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Green-Wood Cemetery Walking Tour

Taught by James Hoffman

James Hoffman is a seasoned licensed New York City tour guide with over a decade of experience. He’s set up an array of sightseeing walks and bike tours that span from iconic landmarks like Grand Central Terminal to the historic Green-Wood Cemetery.

When he's not leading tours he runs open board game nights at  victorypints.com  and donates his time to the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC), working alongside fellow guides to promote live tour guides.

This class might be over, but get first dibs on new sessions and brand-new classes by signing up on our ultra-rad mailing list.

With great views, amazing architecture, and deep links to the 19th century, visiting Green-Wood Cemetery is an amazing way to step back into the past. As the final resting place for many New Yorkers this two-hour tour runs the gamut from the “Father of Baseball” to the first Brooklyn casualty of the Civil War to one of the world’s most famous composers and many more.

In addition to learning about some of the notable people interred there we’ll also visit the highest natural point of Brooklyn, learn how the cemetery became home to flocks of parrots , and talk about how the creation of the cemetery reflects the creation of metropolitan New York.  

This walk meets at the Green-Wood Cemetery Prospect Park West Entrance in Brooklyn and we will gather on the south-west corner of Prospect Park West and 20th Street. 

A portion of the proceeds from the tour support Green-Wood Cemetery .

Cancellation policy

Green-Wood Cemetery: Visit Brooklyn’s Unique Attraction

For many of us, cemeteries are associated with loss and grief or frightening scenes from a horror movie but Green-Wood Cemetery will prove there is so much more than that. It was even ranked the second-greatest tourist attraction in the country in the 19th century.

As one of the Top Ten most beautiful cemeteries in the USA , Green-Wood Cemetery offers stunning architecture and memorials surrounded by gorgeous nature scenery including unique wildlife encounters and celebrated trees. 

As New York State locals, we love to visit New York City frequently and make sure to stop over at Green-Wood cemetery for a peaceful stroll whenever we are in the borough. The massive grounds offer various nature walk paths to take by yourself and diverse tours to get to know more about the fascinating past of the cemetery. 

Get a glimpse of the rich history, the most famous points of interest, graveyards, memorials, and all the tips and tricks to make the most of your Greenwood Cemetery visit right here.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us create free content for you to enjoy. Learn more about our disclaimer here . Thanks for your support!

How to Get to Green-Wood Cemetery

With Green-Wood Cemetery’s massive size of 478 acres and multiple entrances, it is actually a fairly easy NYC attraction to get to. The Cemetery is surrounded by popular Brooklyn neighborhoods of Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, South Slope, and Kensington. It is also within walking distance of other Brooklyn attractions, like Prospect Park and Barclays Center. 

The Green-Wood cemetery has 4 entrances, but most Visitors will want to start from the Main Entrance since it is where most tours and guides start. It is also the most impressive entrance to the grounds. 

Here are some different ways to get to Green Wood Cemetery New York:

• By Subway: To get to the Main Entrance, take the R train to 25th Street. Then walk east uphill 1 block to the entrance. 
• By Car: To get to the Main Entrance with the noticeable large gothic gate, enter the address, 25th Street and Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY into the GPS. If you prefer to come in through another entrance, use the addresses below. Parking is available throughout the Cemetery for free. 

Entrances & Hours 

Green-Wood Cemetery has 4 park entrances which visitors can enter from different sides of the cemetery: 

• Main Entrance – located on Fifth Avenue and 25th Street
• Sunset Park Entrance – located on Fourth Avenue and 35th Street
• Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance – located on Fort Hamilton Parkway and Micieli Place
• Prospect Park West Entrance – located on Prospect Park West and 20th Street 

There are very slight differences in opening hours and closing times for each of the 4 entrances. So make sure you are aware of which entrance you are entering and exiting from. 

The Main Entrance Greenwood Cemetery Brooklyn is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM for both pedestrian and vehicle access. 

The Sunset Park Entrance Green Wood Cemetery Brooklyn is also open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but only admits vehicles until 4:00 PM. 

Green-Wood’s Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance and Prospect Park West Entrance are open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday through Friday for pedestrians only. On Saturdays and Sundays, these 2 gates allow access from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM for pedestrians and 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM for vehicles. 

Note: As a reminder, Green-Wood Cemetery NY asks to exit the grounds at least 10 minutes before the stated closing time at each entrance. The gates are closed and locked promptly.

Background on Green-Wood Cemetery New York

Green-Wood Cemetery is much more than just the average Brooklyn cemetery. It is a park, outdoor museum, architectural masterpiece, and historical landmark connecting the life of the past to the life of the present through the art, history, and charm of New York City.  

Built-in 1838, Greenwood Cemetery was one of the first rural cemeteries in America. By the 1860s, Greenwood Cemetery NY became widely recognized and hundreds of thousands of visitors started visiting the grounds. It even grew into the second-greatest tourist attraction in the country after Niagara Falls. 

With its increasing popularity, the cemetery became a huge inspiration for the creation of big-time NYC public parks, such as Central Park and Prospect Park. 

In 2006, Green-Wood Cemetery was recognized as a National Historical Landmark for its history, arts, architecture, and landscape. 

Today, the Brooklyn Cemetery continues to bring thousands of visitors to admire the beauty of the past and present at Green-Wood. Here, over half a million people lay to rest as permanent residents including several prominent people of the time, war generals and soldiers, politicians, artists, entertainers, inventors, and more. 

Tours of Green-Wood Cemetery New York

Green-Wood Cemetery offers dozens of different tours throughout the seasons. You can learn more about the cemetery’s fascinating history, do environmental research, or view various art projects on the grounds. The following 3 tours are the most popular ones. To snag tickets make sure to book them in advance before they sell out.

Top Tip: Check out a full list of all the daily events and programs on the Greenwood Cemetery Brooklyn website .

• GREEN-WOOD AFTER HOURS

Especially popular during the scary fall months, the Green-Wood After Hours tour lets you explore the grounds after the gates are closed. You will stroll through the cemetery and visit specific graves plus the Catacombs which are only open to the public during this tour.

• DISCOVER GREEN-WOOD TROLLEY TOURS

This is a great way to explore the whole grounds and learn more about the cemetery’s captivating history without using your own vehicle. Hop on a Green-Wood Cemetery trolley equipped with your personalized tour guide to explore the beautiful landscape, graves, and historic stories of the area. 

• TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR

If you are a budget-friendly traveler like us, this tour is yours since it is absolutely free. Download the pdf version of the Green-Wood Cemetery map and walk around to the marked locations. You can also pick up the same map in a hard copy at any of the cemetery entrances to plan your ultimate route.

Note that this is an amazing tour when you have your own vehicle. You can still do it on foot but since the grounds are massive, you will want to restrict your explorations to just a certain part of the cemetery.

Points of Interest at Green-Wood Cemetery  New York

• Gothic Revival Entry Gate – The most famous landmark of the Brooklyn cemetery is located at the Main Entrance. 
• Minerva Statue and the Altar to Liberty – This statue commemorates the Battle of Brooklyn, which was the first American battle of the Revolutionary War after the Declaration of Independence. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, is located on Green-Wood Cemetery’s Battle Hill, a key spot for the war. The Minerva Statue stands towards the Harbor facing the Statue Of Liberty. 
• Historic Cemetery Chapel – Located just around the corner from Green-Wood Cemetery’s main entrance, you will find the Cemetery chapel. It is an iconic piece for the cemetery which was designed by Warren & Wetmore in 1911. The Neo-Gothic design features 41 carved windows with figurative stained glass. Make sure to peak inside during your visit.
• Catacombs – The Cemetery Catacombs consist of 30 vaults that offered people to be buried above ground without the expensive cost of a mausoleum. The catacombs are only open to the public during the Green-Wood After Hours tour.
• Tomb of Secrets – There are no bodies buried under the Tomb of Secrets at Green-Wood Cemetery. The tombstones are a place where visitors can share their deepest, darkest secrets. It is located on Bay Grove Hill where Bayside Avenue meets Bay Grove Path.
• DeWitt Clinton Monument – Find out more about DeWitt Clinton below in the Notable People Buried at Green-Wood Cemetery section. 
• Civil War Solider’s Monument on Battle Hill – This monument is dedicated by NYC to the thousands of soldiers who fought, died, and enlisted in the Civil War. The monument sits on Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery. 
• Our Drummer Boy – The monument was erected to remember Clarence MacKenzie, who was Brooklyn’s first casualty of the American Civil War. 
• Steinway Mausoleum – The memorial for the Steinway family, the piano-making family and founders of Steinway & Sons, is the largest mausoleum in Green-Wood Cemetery. 
• Freedom Lots – These are unmarked graves in Green-Wood Cemetery of unidentified black soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
• Celebrated Trees at Green-Wood Cemetery – The trees at Green-Wood are an iconic feature of the cemetery. More than 7,000 trees make up the Living Collection. Twenty trees are labeled on the Green-Wood Cemetery map to check out with a description to learn more about them. 
• Stroll the Nature Walk – Walk Green-Wood Cemetery Nature Walk to learn about the natural heritage through the interpretive markers which are located at specific features in the cemetery. 

Notable People Buried at Green-Wood Cemetery 

DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828) – DeWitt Clinton was a big-time politician as a Senator, Mayor, and 7th governor of New York. He also had a huge influence on the construction of the Erie Canal. 

William “Boss” Tweed (1823-1878) – Tweed was an American politician best known for being a prominent leader of New York City’s Tammany Hall which was a powerful Democratic party political organization.

Charles Ebbets (1859-1925) – Ebbets was an American sports executive who was the co-owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1897 to 1902 before becoming the majority owner until his death. 

Henry Chadwick (1824–1908) – Chadwick was a big-time writer for baseball which helped ignite the interest in the new sport. He was even inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938. 

Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933) – Tiffany was an American artist and designer who was best known for his work with stained glass. He was the first design director for his family business, Tiffany & Co., which was founded by his father. 

William Livingston (1723-1790) – As an American politician he served as the first governor of New Jersey during the Revolutionary War. He was a signer of the Continental Association and the United States Constitution, making him one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the state of New Jersey. 

Roosevelt Family – Family of President Theodore Roosevelt 

• Alice Roosevelt (1884-1980) – Eldest child of Theodore Roosevelt and Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt. She was also their only child together. 
• Martha Bulloch Roosevelt (1835-1884) – Mother of President Theodore Roosevelt and the paternal grandmother of Eleanor Roosevelt. 
• Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. (1831-1878) – Father of President Theodore Roosevelt and the paternal grandfather of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
• Robert Roosevelt (1829-1906) – Uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Steinway Family – Family of the creators of the piano company, Steinway & Sons. 

• Henry Steinway (1797-1871) – German-American piano maker who made pianos in Germany and the United States. He is the founder of Steinway & Sons. 
• William Steinway (1835-1896) – Son of Henry Steinway

Samuel F. B. Morse (1791–1872) – Morse was an American inventor getting famous for the creation of the telegraph and Morse Code, along with his friend Alfred Vail. 

Laura Keene (1826-1873) – She is best known as an actress who starred in ‘Our American Cousin’ at Ford’s Theater and was on stage the night President Lincoln was assassinated.

Sarah Kairns (1737-1854) – Kairns is the oldest person to be buried at Green-Wood Cemetery at 117 years old and the mother of 22 children. 

War Generals and Soldiers – Throughout Green-Wood Cemetery you will find graves of tons of war generals and soldiers from the Civil War and even the Revolutionary War. 

Greenwood Cemetery Brooklyn NY Map

Best Time to Visit Green-Wood Cemetery

Our two favorite times to visit Green-Wood Cemetery are in the fall and spring. It is one of the best places in NYC to admire the cherry blossom trees and see the fall foliage. 

The cherry blossoms are typically in bloom in mid-April, whereas you can usually catch the New York fall foliage in the city from October through early November.

Tips for Visiting the Brooklyn Cemetery

• HAVE A MAP OF GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY

Green-Wood Cemetery is massive, which can make it difficult to navigate around. We highly suggest having a paper map, a picture of a map, or a downloaded map on your phone while visiting Green-Wood Cemetery. 

The official Green-Wood Cemetery map is labeled with points of interest, notable graves, memorials, and trees, as well as walking paths and nature walks on the grounds. This makes it incredibly easy to not miss anything you’re interested in on your visit. 

• CHECK OUT THE MULTIPLE ENTRANCES TO GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY

Don’t forget to take note of which entrances you are entering and exiting from when visiting Green-Wood Cemetery. The entrances are located on different ends and sides of the cemetery. 

You can choose from these entrances:

• Main Entrance
• Sunset Park Entrance
• Fort Hamilton Parkway Entrance
• Prospect Park West Entrance
• BIKES ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE GROUNDS

If you plan on riding your bike, scooter, or anything else besides your 2 feet, you will need to lock it up outside the cemetery gates before entering. There are racks outside all entrances that are available to visitors. 

• LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME

For this visit, you will have to leave your pets at home. Sorry dogs, you will have to sit this one out. Pets are not permitted inside Green-Wood Cemetery.

• FIND RESTROOMS AT ENTRANCES

Worrying about where to find a restroom can be quite nerve-racking for some. But you won’t have to worry on your trip to Green-Wood Cemetery. There are bathroom facilities at all 4 entrances. 

• PARK VEHICLES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD

One of the best perks of Green-Wood Cemetery is that parking is available on the grounds at no cost. However, please respect the grounds by parking on the right side of the road and off the grass. This makes it easier and safer for the flow of cars and pedestrians to get around the cemetery with ease. 

• RESPECT THE CEMETERY

This should go without saying, respect the resting place of thousands of people. Please refrain from touching, sitting, or walking on gravestones, mausoleums, and monuments. You don’t want to damage the surfaces of the precious architectural gems. Do your best to leave no trace.

• BE CONSIDERATE OF THE CEMETERY PLANTS AND TREES

The plants and trees throughout the cemetery are celebrated pieces and notable parts of Green-Wood. Please refrain from hanging, climbing, pulling, hitting, and removing leaves, bark, or blossoms from any trees and plants on the grounds. While strolling around, stay on the roads and pathways as best you can. 

Cool History & Facts about Green-Wood Cemetery

• Used to be NYC’s biggest tourist attraction

Before today’s NYC famous tourist attractions were even thought of, Green-Wood Cemetery held the spot for NYC’s biggest tourist attraction. When Green wood Cemetery opened in 1838, it was one of the first landscaped public spaces in all of New York City. The cemetery quickly became popular with more than half a million visitors a year. 

By 1860, it was not only the city’s biggest tourist attraction, but it was also New York State’s second-largest attraction after Niagara Falls. At that time it was very common to see tourists and locals having picnics and strolling around, while other people visited the graves of their loved ones. This popularity and interest had a significant impact on the creation of Manhattan’s Central Park.

• Green-Wood Cemetery is home to the highest natural point in Brooklyn

Battle Hill, located in Green-Wood Cemetery is home to the highest natural point in Brooklyn at 216 feet. It is called Battle Hill because it is referring to the Battle of Brooklyn. It was the first major battle fought after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This area holds significant importance in defending New York in the Revolutionary War. 

• The Goddess of Wisdom & Statue of Liberty

In 1920, a bronze statue of Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom and strategic warfare, was erected on Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery. The statue sits at the top of Battle Hill to commemorate a significant battle in the Revolutionary War. Minerva has been purposefully positioned to face the Statue of Liberty in the New York Harbor and salutes Lady Liberty. 

• Green-Wood Cemetery and Wars

Green-Wood Cemetery holds significant importance in the history of the Civil War, Revolutionary War, and World Wars. There are thousands of war participants buried within the gates at Green-Wood which include soldiers, generals, privates, nurses, other members of services, and a young drummer boy. 

The Cemetery even initiated a Civil War Project to help identify unknown veterans of war. 

• Green-Wood Cemetery Living Residents

After taking the initial awe of the grand gothic entry gate, take a lookup. Here, you will find some of Green-Wood Cemetery’s living residents, the Argentina Monk Parrots. Their large nests rest on the gate’s peaks and ledges. These birds have been living at the cemetery since the 1970s and it is unknown how it came to be their home. 

Besides the Argentina Monk Parrots, you can also find mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels, and woodchucks on the Green-Wood Cemetery grounds.

• The Architecture of the Cemetery

Green-Wood Cemetery is well known for its beautiful architecture throughout the grounds. Besides the famous entry gate, there are also various mausoleums and monuments which display unique architectural features from gothic style to classical and more. Another grand show of architecture in Green-Wood is the historic gothic-style Chapel which was designed by Warren & Wetmore.

More Interesting Facts about Green-Wood Cemetery

• It was built during the Victorian era. 
• The cemetery used to be known as a Christian burial place for white Anglo-Saxon Protestants of higher social standing, however, this has changed over the years. 
• In 2013, a construction worker was working on an expansion project when he discovered a metal box buried in a wall. It ended up being a time capsule from 1954 with 19th-century published books of the Green-Wood Cemetery.

Other Brooklyn Things to Do Nearby

Baked in Brooklyn – Baked in Brooklyn is a bakery and store which specializes in fresh pitas, baguettes, boules, and more. The store is conveniently located across the street from the Main Entrance of Green-Wood Cemetery. Make sure to stop by and try our favorite snack from Baked in Brooklyn, the sticks. 

Prospect Park – Prospect Park is like the Central Park of Brooklyn. The park contains 526 acres of land comprising a zoo, loads of athletic fields, recreational facilities, Audubon Center, an ice rink, a carousel, and more. 

It is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike to hang out.

Brooklyn Botanical Garden – Brooklyn Botanical Garden is an urban garden that helps visitors connect with the fascinating world of plants. A walk through the gardens gives people the opportunity to understand the unique environment of a variety of plants. 

One of the major events in the gardens is the blooming of the Cherry Blossom trees which happens every year in the spring. Brooklyn Botanic Garden is also home to a Japanese garden with a Shinto Shrine. 

Tickets are required for entry which can be purchased in advance.

Barclays Center – The Barclays Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Brooklyn which is home to the Brooklyn Nets men’s basketball team and the New York Liberty women’s basketball team. 

The Barclays Center can hold more than 17,000 people for basketball events, 15,000+ for hockey games, and 19,000+ for concerts. Be sure to check out what events are being held while you are in town. It is an experience you won’t forget.

Industry City – Brooklyn’s Industry City is a unique area that runs along the scenic waterfront of Sunset Park. It has 35 acres of repurposed industrial space which includes 16 buildings encompassing eateries, events, green spaces, retail spaces, and art. 

What is your highlight of Green-Wood Cemetery? Which other cemeteries can you recommend visiting?

Let us know in the comments below!

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The Gay Graves Tour of Green-Wood Cemetery

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Join us for The Gay Graves Tour, an online Zoom tour of the famous and not-so-famous LGBTQ residents of NYC's Green-Wood Cemetery!

The Gay Graves Tour focuses on Green-Wood Cemetery's most notable LGBTQ residents. Green-Wood Cemetery is one of NYC's most beautiful and historic sites, in fact it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Green-Wood Cemetery's history goes back almost 200 years as the final resting place for many illustrious figures, including an impressive roster of famous and not-so-famous LGBTQ people. Those you will come to know are:

• Leonard Bernstein—seminal composer and conductor
• Emma Stebbins—sculptress of the Angel of the Waters that tops Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain
• Fre Ebb—Broadway lyricist (“Cabaret” & “Chicago”)
• Paul Jabara—Oscar- & Grammy-winner (“Last Dance”)
• Dr. Richard Isay—psychiatrist and gay activist are among those highlighted.

Not limited to gay and lesbian residents, The Gay Graves Tour also stops at the gravesite of the Tiffany family and other famous residents, plus your guide will explain the Revolutionary history of Battle Hill, Brooklyn’s highest natural point. We end at the cemetery’s Historic Chapel to discover what connection it has with Grand Central Terminal.

We look forward to seeing you for this fascinating, fun and informative online Zoom tour of Green-Wood Cemetery!

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A Silent City Within a City: The History of Greenwood Cemetery

Introduction.

Text-to-speech Audio

Greenwood Cemetery is the final resting place of over 40,000 residents of Central Florida, each with their own story to tell and memory to be preserved. As a city cemetery, Greenwood is a unique historical site where the entire spectrum of Orlando is represented in its vast, green landscape. A silent city, populated by the past, Greenwood Cemetery has been, and forever will be, a haven for local history.  

Greenwood Cemetery Entrance

Greenwood Cemetery Expansion from 1880 through 2023

Orlando undertaker and embalmer, Elijah Hand.

Cemetery designer, Samuel A. Robinson.

Backstory and Context

Back in the days when Orlando was called Jernigan, people buried their loved ones on their own properties or small burial yards, usually on the same day that they died. 1 This led to issues as the city began to expand; valuable real estate was found to be overrun with burials and the lack of cohesive record-keeping meant many graves were lost. Publisher of The Orange County Reporter , Mahlon Gore, mounted a campaign to convince the public of the need for a communal cemetery. 2 In 1880, a group of eight Orlando pioneers formed the Orlando Cemetery Company with the purchase of twenty-six acres of land at the southeast corner of what is now the eighty-six-acre Greenwood Cemetery. 3 The names of these eight men might sound familiar, as many of Orlando’s streets have been named for them; Cassius A. Boone, I. P. Wescott, James K. Duke, J. H. Livingston, Nathaniel Poyntz, William R. Anno, James Delaney, and Samuel A. Robinson. 4 Samuel Robinson designed the cemetery which he claimed in 1915 to have been “pronounced by experts as being one of the best original designs.” 5  

Elijah Hand and Orlando’s original undertaker, Edgar A. Richards, opened the first funerary and furniture business in 1884. 6 Hand brought with him the practice of embalming, which allowed for burials several days after death, transforming the rituals surrounding memorials for local residents. Hand’s funeral parlor served the city for many years and was continued by his son, Carey Hand, who built Orlando’s first crematorium in 1918. 7 

In the early days, many of the grave markers in Greenwood Cemetery were wooden, as many residents couldn’t afford markers of stone until the combination of the railroad and mass-marketed catalog companies, like Sears Roebuck, made headstones attainable for the average Orlando citizen. 8 Wooden headboards presented many problems, the least of which was eventual decay. A fire in 1891 decimated the cemetery and was the incentive that drove the City of Orlando to purchase the Orlando Cemetery Company, along with an additional fourteen acres for $3,000 in 1892. 9 The city ordered the disinterment and reburial of as many of the previous graves around the city as possible at the turn of the twentieth century. 10   

The original forty acres of the Orlando Cemetery, as it was known until 1915 when the name was changed to Greenwood Cemetery, consisted of the southeastern quadrant of the present-day cemetery from Greenwood Street to the north, Hampton Avenue to the east, and Gore Street to the south. Additional acres were acquired as the city grew, first encompassing the southern half of the cemetery and eventually expanding for the final time in 1935 with the acquisition of thirty acres north of Greenwood Street to Newman Street. This final plot of land was taken by the city from Mr. Chesley Magruder, who owned this portion of the property located in what was then the Jonestown neighborhood, in lieu of back taxes. 11   

Visitors are welcome to explore this quiet, scenic locale daily from 7 am to 7 pm. After almost a century and a half in operation, Greenwood Cemetery has transformed from a simple communal burial site to a space where local memory is enshrined, and the history of the City of Orlando finds eternal rest.  

• Joy Wallace Dickenson,  Orlando: City of Dreams  (Great Britain: Arcadia Publishing, 2003), 25, 36.
• “History of Greenwood Cemetery Told by Hon. Samuel A. Robinson – Pioneer,”  Orlando Reporter-Star , September 14, 1915, 8.
• “Greenwood Cemetery,”  Orlando Reporter-Star , 8.
• James C. Clark,  Orlando Florida: A Brief History  (Charleston: The History Press, 2013), 34.
• Dickenson,  Orlando , 36. 
• Sears Roebuck & Co.,  Tombstones and Monuments  (Chicago: Sears, Roebuck & Co., 1906), 3.
• Eve Bacon,  Orlando: A Centennial History  (Chuluota: Mickler House Publishers, 1975), I: 188.
• “Orlando Takes Grave Plots for Old Taxes: Magruder Property Near Greenwood Brings $21,000,”  Orlando Sentinel , June 27, 1935, 1-2. 

Sarah Boye, Greenwood Cemetery Entrance, personal photograph, July 17, 2023.

Clarence E. Howard, Early Settlers of Orange County, Florida: Reminiscent-Historic-Biographic (Orlando: C. E. Howard, 1915): 42, RICHES of Central Florida, accessed July 8, 2023, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1381.

Clarence E. Howard, Early Settlers of Orange County, Florida: Reminiscent-Historic-Biographic (Orlando: C. E. Howard, 1915): 14, RICHES of Central Florida, accessed July 8, 2023, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1381.

Additional Information

• “Greenwood Cemetery,” City of Orlando, accessed July 14, 2023
• “Greenwood Cemetery,” Orlando Memory, accessed July 14, 2023

Gay Green-Wood Trolley Tour at Green-Wood Cemetery

May 6, 2023 | 10 AM

Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn 25th Street and 5th Avenue View on Google Maps

Green-Wood Cemetery and the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project celebrate illuminating LGBTQ+ permanent residents who have made a lasting impact on American history and culture. Along the way you will visit the graves of “It’s Raining Men” co-writer, Paul Jabara ; sculptor of the “Angel of the Waters” sculpture atop Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain, Emma Stebbins ; and activists and founders of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Drs. Emery Hetrick and Damien Martin , among others.

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Moonlight Walking Tour at Greenwood Cemetery

Up until the 1880s, the people of Orlando had no permanent burial location, leading to many lost graves and confusion. After a heady newspaper campaign, by publisher Mahlon Gore, eight Orlando residents pulled together to buy 26 acres of land from John W. Anderson. Today, Greenwood Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Orlando.

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Self Guided Tour

Take our self guided tour print the greenwood cemetery self guided tour booklet to start your educational tour of rockford’s history in its oldest and largest cemetery.

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Historical Tour of Greenwood Cemetery: Greenwood's Earliest Burials

• When Wed, August 30, 2023
•   2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
• Location Greenwood Cemetery Sheridan Gate, 1938 West Sheridan Road, Petoskey
• Spaces left 0

Registration

• Free Registration #1230802

A few years later, in October of 1875, Dr. William Little, while feeling poorly, continued in his capacity as village doctor and township supervisor and purchased the site which is now Greenwood Cemetery. Sadly, he was one of its first burials, dying of a heart attack at the age of 33 just one month later.

In 1882, on her way to a camp meeting from her home west of the new village, 52-year-old Elizabeth Singer lost control of her rig when something startled her horses. The wagon struck a stump and she was thrown from it, landing on her head. She died instantly.

On this year's walking tour, you'll learn about many more who were among the first to occupy the cemetery almost 150 years ago -- including one young man whose death involved rolling pins. We'll cover the first ten years of notable, recorded adult burials.

Be advised, the tour is concentrated in one area of the cemetery — the oldest part — but, still may include hilly terrain.

Don't miss a thing! The tour will begin promptly at the start time , so come early enough to allow for parking and walking/shuttling from the Sheridan Street gate to the well house located in the center of the cemetery.

North Central Michigan College • 1515 Howard Street, Petoskey, MI 49770

Customs House Museum & Cultural Center

The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is where history, art and culture inspire a diverse community.

Historic Greenwood Cemetery Tours are Back!

By Meghan E. Gattignolo  

September is here, and with the change in month comes the promise of cool air, falling leaves, cozy sweaters and… cemetery tours!   

Yes, the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center’s popular Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tours are back this year starting September 23. Every other Saturday until the end of October, you have a chance to learn about the fascinating characters and imposing dignitaries that populate Clarksville’s oldest active cemetery while you stroll among the elaborate grave monuments that make Greenwood so special. 

Greenwood Cemetery opened during one of Clarksville’s more prosperous eras. Following the Civil War, Clarksville enjoyed a boisterous economy with the tobacco trade. Multiple wealthy families lived in Clarksville and sought out a bright new place to lay their loved ones to rest.  Older cemeteries and churchyards in the middle of town were landlocked and couldn’t be expanded. Greenwood sold its first plots in 1873 and quickly became the place to be buried. A large number of historic names who lifted Clarksville into the modern era can be found in Greenwood. The cemetery is also a well-preserved example of the mortuary symbolism that was popular in the 19th century. Here’s a small sampling of what you can learn during a tour through Greenwood Cemetery. 

The oldest resident of Greenwood wasn’t even buried there.  

Politician Cave Johnson died in 1866 – years before Greenwood Cemetery opened – but you will find his grave in the cemetery’s oldest section. Did Cave’s family wait seven years to bury him? No. Cave’s son, Polk Grundy Johnson, was one of the first Clarksville residents to purchase a plot in Greenwood when it became available and reinterred his father in the shiny new cemetery. Cave Johnson was originally buried in a church graveyard on Franklin Street. At the time, Franklin Street was rough and not a peaceful place for families to visit the graves of their loved ones. Greenwood Cemetery was set far enough outside of town for visitors to enjoy the peace and quiet, and became the preferred place to be buried.   

One of the monuments gained national attention.  

Nannie Tyler was four years old when she died in 1885 of diphtheria, a horrible infection that causes sore throat and obstructs the airway. Her grieving parents, Judge Charles and Molly Tyler, were well-to-do enough to order a beautiful marble statue from Italy in the likeness of their child. The statue, based on a photograph taken of Nannie, cost today’s equivalent of about $10,000 dollars and serves as the monument above Nannie’s grave. The grave also once featured a glass box containing Nannie’s toys before it was vandalized.  

In 1996 someone stole Nannie’s statue, but thanks to a kindly Boston antique dealer, it wasn’t gone for long. The return of the statue made national news. Many Clarksville residents still enjoy visiting Nannie and leaving her gifts of small toys, necklaces or flowers.   

The cemetery was a popular park.  

While in 2023 we have the freedom to text our friends to meet up at specific places or go to the mall to see other people, in the late 19th century, being social was a little different. Places to just hang out and meet up with people were few and big cemeteries like Greenwood doubled as parks where people knew they would see their friends on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. An electric trolley that served downtown Clarksville provided a line that ran to Greenwood Avenue to provide reliable transportation to Greenwood Cemetery. Hanging out in a cemetery might seem creepy today, but when you stand near one area of the cemetery that’s devoid of graves and lined by trees and benches, it’s easier to imagine a time when people enjoyed the natural beauty of the grounds and anticipated seeing people they cared about. 

A famous actor is buried in Greenwood.  

Frank Sutton rocketed to fame playing Sgt. Carter on the popular 1960s Andy Griffith Show spin-off, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Frank was born on Second Street in Clarksville, in the historic Doghill neighborhood located behind the Museum to parents who worked at The Leaf-Chronicle . He moved around a lot in his childhood and attended high school in Nashville, but his first job was at a radio station in Clarksville. His gravestone is probably the most visited site in Greenwood after Nannie Tyler’s. Sutton’s connection to Clarksville is also commemorated on Franklin Street as a bronze statue.  

This season, not only will Lead Visitor Services Associate Kim Raines take you through Greenwood Cemetery, but she’s also offering to show you around Riverview Cemetery, Clarksville’s oldest public cemetery. Watch for an upcoming blog post to showcase what history Riverview has to offer. Space for both tours is limited, so reserve your spot before they fill up! 

Meghan E. Gattignolo  is a freelance writer and longtime Clarksville, TN resident. She loves to obsess about historical subjects and annoy her family daily with unsolicited random facts. Meghan holds a History B.A. from Austin Peay State University and lives in town with her husband and two daughters. 

Privacy Overview

Cemetery Tours of the Lynden Cemetery are on every Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and are presented by a volunteer in a period costume from the Lynden Heritage Museum during the months of May thru October. Cemetery Tours of the Greenwood Cemetery are on the last Saturday of the months of May thru October at 2:00 p.m. For those who prefer to explore at their own pace, self-guided tours will also be offered throughout the year. Self-guided tours will be in the receptacle on the front of the office building at both Greenwood and Lynden cemeteries. Tours, both guided and self-guided, are free and open to the public. Walking shoes are recommended as the terrain may be uneven. Reservations are not necessary for the regular Saturday tours, although you may call the Museum at 360-354-3675 for private tours for groups of five or more. The Lynden Cemetery has been named to the Washington Heritage Register, and there is a bronze plaque located on the north side of the building showing that honor. It is the only cemetery in Whatcom County to receive this recognition. In addition to the Lynden Cemetery, the Greenwood Cemetery offers a beautiful & serene Urn Garden & a Scattering Garden for cremated remains.

Group Tours

Note: You need not schedule an appointment to explore the grounds with a small group of friends and family.

Green-Wood is the ideal place for your group’s next outing. With grand, sweeping views of Manhattan, beautifully designed landscapes, and lots of American history, Green-Wood is an enlightening and enjoyable day trip for any group.

Green-Wood welcomes all adult, university, tourism, community, and personal groups to book either a private or outside tour. Please see the additional information and reservation form below. (If you are interested in school programs for kids, click here .)

We also now offer gift certificates for our private walking tours!

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Green-Wood prioritizes visitor health and safety. Whether you are here for a stroll or to enjoy an outdoor performance, the protocols below are intended to ensure the well being of all those on our grounds.

• Attendees MUST wear a face covering at all times on the trolley, regardless of vaccine status, and follow ALL instructions and guidance from Cemetery staff and ambassadors. Green-Wood reserves the right to deny entry to anyone who refuses to comply with these guidelines, which are based on CDC, state, and city mandates.
• Regular Cleaning and Sanitizing:  Public restrooms are cleaned and sanitized throughout the day. 
• Feeling Sick?  Stay home if you are feeling sick. For more information about COVID-19 symptoms,  please check the CDC website .

Green-Wood reserves the right to deny entry to public programs or private tours to any visitor who refuses to comply with the guidelines listed here. As with any public outdoor setting, we cannot guarantee that you will not be exposed to COVID-19. By visiting Green-Wood, you voluntarily assume such risks.

Rates and Payment

• Weekday (Monday-Friday): $300
• Weekend (Saturday-Sunday): $400
• Weekday (Tuesday-Friday): $600 for up to 30 people and an additional $10 per person after 30 people
• Weekend (Saturday-Sunday): $800 for up to 30 people and an additional $10 per person after 30 people
• $5 per person

Once your tour has been confirmed, you will receive an invoice for payment via email. There is a $100 deposit (applied towards the total fee) required to hold the date. You can pay online or by check.

Please make your check payable to The Green-Wood Historic Fund and mail it here with a copy of your Tour/Visit Confirmation letter:

Green-Wood Historic Fund Attn: Derya Mergin 500 25th Street Brooklyn, NY 11232

Private Walking Tours

A Green-Wood guide will lead your group by foot on a tour that tells the story of this magnificent landmark and the fascinating people interred here. Private walking tours last approximately 90 minutes and accommodate 30 people maximum.

Reservations must be made using the form below no less than two weeks in advance of the requested visit date. We recommend having an alternate date in case your preferred date is unavailable.

Private Trolley Tours

Join our expert tour guide aboard Green-Wood’s trolley to explore the Cemetery’s historic landscape and most fascinating permanent residents. If you have never been to Green-Wood, this is your opportunity to discover its 478 acres of art, history, and nature! You will tread where George Washington and his troops fought in the Battle of Brooklyn, visit the grave of one of America’s greatest artists, and much more.

Green-Wood trolley tours are fully accessible and ADA compliant. In order to accommodate a wheelchair or other mobility aids on the trolley, arrangements must be made in advance.

Private trolley tours last 2 hours. The trolley and caboose accommodate 40 people maximum.

INDEPENDENT TOUR GROUPS/OPERATORS

Leaders of organized tours not affiliated with Green-Wood are welcome to bring their group through the grounds, provided they register with Green-Wood in advance. There is a $5 fee for each group member, payable by credit card, which assists The Green-Wood Historic Fund in its ongoing preservation and restoration efforts.

Green-Wood reviews each request, based on the guide’s qualifications and references. For tours that focus on Green-Wood’s wildlife, including birding, we take extra precautions because, sadly, some guides employ unscrupulous and harmful practices. Our objective is to ensure the qualifications of each guide and have confidence they will do no harm to Green-Wood’s wildlife and its environment.

Appointments are required for all organized outside tours, regardless of size, and must be made no less than one week in advance.

Please fill out the form below to request an appointment. A separate form must be submitted for each tour, and we will do our best to accommodate your request(s).

Reschedule and Cancellation Policy

As an outdoor site, private tours will proceed as scheduled in most weather conditions, including light rain and snow. If there are dangerous conditions, Green-Wood will reschedule your tour at no cost or refund your fee if a reschedule date cannot be agreed upon.

If you or any member of your group tests positive for COVID-19, was in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of your tour, or experience symptoms of COVID-19 on the morning of your tour, please contact us as soon as possible to reschedule the tour.

Reservation Form

Due to high volume, your visit is not confirmed until you have received a confirmation email. Please email [email protected] with questions.

What type of tour are you reserving? (required) Private Walking Tour Private Trolley Tour Independent Tour Groups/Operators

What date would you like to book for? (required)

What time would you like to book for? Please note that tours are only available during hours of operation, and must be completed 30 minutes before the Cemetery closes.

In case your first choice is unavailable, what is your alternate date?

Contact Information

Please list the primary contact for the visit. We will contact the person named below with any questions or concerns about the visit request and to confirm the appointment.

Full Name (required)

Email Address (required)

Phone Number (required)

Will the person listed above be the group leader on the day of the visit? (required) Yes No

Group Information

Please tell us about your group. Tour operators should enter the name of their tour-operating company.

Group Name (required)

Group Email (required)

Group Phone (required)

Please select one of the following that best describes your group: (required) Business/Organization College/University Personal/Family Tour Operator Community Organization

How many attendees? (required)

Is this your group's first time visiting Green-Wood? (required) Yes No

Notes (If using a gift certificate, enter the code)

Validation Question (required) Please use numerals, not letters. What is 7 plus 3 minus 2?

Nearly 50 headstones damaged at McPherson County cemetery

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The McPherson County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help from anyone with information about damages done to Windom Cemetery.

The sheriff’s office said that sometime after April 8, 48 headstones were damaged.

If you have information regarding the case, contact McPherson County Crimestoppers at 620-241-1122.

On Wednesday, 12 News spoke about the vandalism with Windom city leaders and people who visited the ceremony to assess the damage and see if the graves of their late loved ones were impacted.

“I got a call from a buddy that said that it had been vandalized, and my parents are here, so I just came out to check on it,” said Rick Shoger, at the cemetery to check the status of his parents’ grave. “I walked in and just saw the headstones turned over and everything. It’s pretty bad.”

Windom city leaders say they plan to repair as much of the damage as possible and the community already has started pitching in.

“The nice thing about it, we’ve had an outpouring from people from the Windom community, ‘we will help you,’” Castle Township Clerk Joe Hoffman said.

Community members say the vandalism is highly disrespectful and are hopeful the sheriff’s office will find the culprit or culprits.

“A sacred, sacred place, you know, where you don’t desecrate people who are gone, Shoger said.

Copyright 2024 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email [email protected]

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