The Basics
website: Green-Wood
Address: 25th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Hours: 7 am to 7 pm
Note: The GreenHouse Gift Shop and Research Center is only open Thursday to Monday.
Offerings
Green-Wood has a number of educational and entertaining offerings including:
- Walking tours
- Trolley tours
- Concerts
- Mobile tours via their website
- Death Education programs
- Art tours
Check the Website for details
My Visit
Brooklyn is home to one of the first Garden Cemeteries in the United States, Green-Wood Cemetery. Founded in 1838, Green-Wood covers 478 acres and is home to 580,000 permanent residents. On my most recent trip to New York, I deliberately scheduled a later flight so I would have time to wander its trails.
Driving up to the Gate to Green-Wood is an experience in and of itself. The ornate gates look as if they could grace a Gothic castle. I did not have a predetermined agenda in mind when I visited, but just wanted to wander the paths and experience the cemetery. I drove past the Green-Wood chapel and soon found myself along the perimeter of the cemetery. The perimeter had not been mowed, and there were gravestones sitting seemingly forgotten in the tall grass. Some of these were recent, but most were older headstones looking forlorn. These graves may have been part of the original African American section of the cemetery, which had fallen into disrepair, but now has been renamed the Freedom section and is being restored.
The hills of Green Wood are steep, and I am glad I chose to drive rather than walk, as I never could have survived walking up and down them. However, for those of you who are in much better shape than I am, there are walking paths throughout the cemetery and there are stairs on the steepest hills. Driving through the hills of Green Wood gave me a good overview of the cemetery, as I could see the hills, valleys, and meadows.
Green Wood contains a variety of memorials, including grand Mausoleums, cradle graves, and gravestones. When visiting Green Wood, it is important to pay attention as in some instances, even the stairs hold messages. There is something around every corner at Green Wood. I came across these steps as I was driving around, and I thought the message on them was interesting. It says:
When I die, I’ll go to Heaven
Because I spent my time in hell.
St. Joseph pray for us
Say one our father
Our precious mother
Thoughts of you make
Every day special
Not only are the gravestones and mausoleums beautiful, but the natural beauty of the cemetery is also stunning. When you are in the middle of Green-Wood, it is hard to imagine that the city is just a short distance away. When you are on the perimeter of the cemetery, you can definitely hear traffic and other sounds, but when you are in the middle of the cemetery, all you hear is birds chirping and the occasional sound of a lawn mower.
There is one huge beachwood tree that has created a beautiful bower where a few tombstones are hidden. And in other instances, plants have grown up alongside the grave stones.
I had been driving around for about an hour when I decided to stop taking pictures and to just appreciate the cemetery. I was driving on a twisty one-lane road that had warnings about blind corners, when to my left I spotted what looked like Stonehenge. It was concentric rings of tombstones. I drove around for a bit and took a few wrong turns before finally finding it. In the center were three boulders and two concentric circles, with the inner one containing older tombstones and the outer one newer ones. There was also a fresh grave, which I did not take a picture of. I chose to sit on one of the benches for a few moments and just breathed in the peace.
As I had to get to the airport, I could not stay long, but it was the most peaceful few minutes of the entire week. After I left the cemetery, I headed over to the Green House, Green-Wood’s gift shop, and purchased a t-shirt and stickers.
Planning Your Visit
I highly recommend having at least two hours to visit Green-Wood. I drove around and got out when something caught my eye, but I still did not feel like I had enough time. I would also definitely wear comfortable shoes. If you are going to park and walk, be prepared for a lot of hills.
As with any cemetery visit, it is also critical that you be respectful as Green-Wood is an active cemetery with funerals taking place regularlly and with people visiting their beloved dead.