History, Natural History & the Arts
Reconstructing the biography of a building is a way of obtaining information about the activities and beliefs of previous generations of inhabitants. The approach differs from archaeological research.
In a “building biography,” the structure is seen as the frame around which a family, group or institution is investigated in order to gain an insight into socio-economic or cultural conditions of a certain period. [Read more…] about Bill the Butcher: A Nativist ‘Know Nothing’ Movement Martyr
Exploding urban populations during the nineteenth century demanded new solutions towards burying the dead. Traditional congregational graveyards were either full or overcrowded. A combination of practical thinking and the wish to commune with nature (inspired by Romantic poetry) led to the development of serene burial grounds outside the city boundaries.
Founded as a “rural” or “garden” cemetery in 1838, Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery is famous for its picturesque landscape features with evocative names such as Camellia Path, Halcyon Lake, Oaken Bluff, or Vista Hill. Elaborate monuments and mausoleums, designed in an array of architectural styles, honor the Lispenard dynasty (Norman), William Niblo (Gothic), the Steinway family (Classical), and others.
And then there is the Feltman mausoleum, the columns of which feature Corinthian capitals. On each side of the doorway stands a trio of mourning figures. Those on the left hold symbols of faith (cross and doves); those on the right show grief and sorrow. The pediment features two cherubs holding a wreath with the initial F in the center. On top of the temple is a cupola with the Archangel Michael standing guard, sword at the ready. The building serves to celebrate the memory of just one man. Who was this person? A Founding Father maybe? A respected politician (if that is not a contradiction in terms)? A celebrated artist? [Read more…] about A Dog’s Tale: Dachshunds, Hot Dogs, Coney Island & Greenwood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel has won a 2021 Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Preservation League of NYS.
The Historic Chapel, located just down the hill from the Cemetery’s main entrance in Brooklyn, is an icon of Green-Wood’s landscape. Designed in 1911 by the architectural firm of Warren & Wetmore, the Neo-Gothic design features 41 carved window openings, filled with figurative stained glass. [Read more…] about Green-Wood Cemetery’s Historic Chapel Wins Preservation Award
The Green-Wood Historic Fund is commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn with a weekend of events on Saturday and Sunday, August 26-27, 2017.
Fought on August 27, 1776 across Brooklyn, including land that is now part of Green-Wood Cemetery, it was the first battle of the American Revolution to be waged after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In terms of the total number of British and American troops poised and ready to fight, this was the largest battle of the Revolution. [Read more…] about Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration Planned August 26-27
The corporate team Kärcher, that cleaned Mt. Rushmore, the Seattle Space Needle and The London Eye, recently visited to Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn to give some of its famous monuments and mausoleums a special makeover.
Using cutting-edge and eco-friendly technology, cultural restoration expert Thorsten Moewes, of Kärcher, a manufacturer of cleaning equipment, removed centuries of dirt and grime from three Green-Wood landmarks free of charge: the Niblo Mausoleum (1851), the Miller Mausoleum (ca. 1870) and the Charlotte Canda Memorial (1845). Following the cleaning, a HDS 13/20 hot water pressure washer was donated to Green-Wood. [Read more…] about Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery Landmarks Get Makeover
To mark the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery has unveiled biographies of more than 160 men and women, military and civilian, who served in the war to end all wars and who now are interred in the National Historic Landmark designated cemetery.
More than a year in the making, Green-Wood’s WWI Project covers the men and women who served in that conflict as pilots, nurses, infantryman, gunners, pay clerks, intelligence officers, logistics specialists, and others. The biographies were researched by a group of volunteers under the guidance of Green-Wood historian Jeff Richman. [Read more…] about Brooklyn Cemetery Puts WWI Biographies Online
A one-of-a-kind Revolutionary War map used in battle by Lieutenant-General Hugh Percy, a British division commander at the Battle of Brooklyn, will be unveiled at Green-Wood Cemetery on Sunday, August 24, at the Green-Wood Historic Fund’s annual commemoration of the Battle of Brooklyn. Following its unveiling at Green-Wood Cemetery, General Percy’s Map will travel to the Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) on August 27, where it will be exhibited through February 2015.
The Battle of Brooklyn, waged on August 27, 1776, was fought across Brooklyn and on land that is now part of Green-Wood. It was the first battle of the American Revolution fought after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. [Read more…] about Battle Of Brooklyn: Rare Revolutionary War Map Being Unveiled
What do artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, toy merchant Frederick A.O. Schwarz and political powerhouse William Magear “Boss” Tweed have in common?
They’re all buried in Brooklyn’s Historic Green-Wood Cemetery along with abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher, musician Leonard Bernstein, industrialist Peter Cooper, composer Fred Ebb, piano manufacturer Henry Steinway, decorative master Louis Comfort Tiffany – and roughly 560,000 others – many equally famous (some infamous) and hailing from the worlds of sports, the arts, entertainment, politics, the military and industry. [Read more…] about NYC’s Green-Wood Cemetery To Mark 175th Anniversary