A Walk Through Gorgeous Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn

Main entrance gate of Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY

Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is a 478-acre paradise for us taphophiles. Opened in 1838, it was one of the early garden cemeteries in the United States. By the 1860s, it was a major New York tourist destination, second only to Niagra Falls. I was able to visit for two days recently, and while I did not get through all of it (I'll be back!!), what I did see and capture on my camera was really special. It was peculiar that many of my photos have a misty glow to them. Must have had my camera settings wrong, or it was a New York "fog." Take a walk with me and enjoy the landscaping, artwork and memorial sentiments from the 19th century! This post is Part I...

 

Old fire engine on side of above monument

Fire-fighting equipment adorns the top

Erected for a lost comrade

Calla lilies signify purity and innocence.

Three broken columns of different heights usually signifies the deceased was a member of Freemasonry.

It is highly possible that Cornelia's husband Abbot L. Dow moved away or remarried and so was not buried here with her. Also possible when he died, there wasn't money to add the carvings for him.

Close-up of statue atop the above monument

Capt. John Correja's monument, made from fine Italian marble. Correja was a sea captain and there used to be a marble sextant (a navigational device) in his hands. Green-Wood Cemetery held a candlelight tour the night before I was there, and a model sextant made of wood was added for the tour.

Close-up of the sea captain

 

 

This tombstone is discolored because it had copper piping inside to keep the marble upright. Many times, iron rebar was used, and as it rusts, the white marble becomes orange-brown.

This one is under glass to protect it.

Symbol of Army Corp of Engineers.

Notice the scythe to the right, cutting the greenery, symbolizing a life cut down in its youth.

 

Close-up from above monument

Amazing monument for Charlotte Canda. There used to be a low wrought-iron fence around it, painted white. Terribly sad story...Charlotte was only 17 when thrown from a carriage and killed instantly. Her fiancé committed suicide from despair and is buried nearby. This monument cost $20,000, and that was in 1845.

Close-up of statue of Charlotte

Odd...never saw anything like this.

The son in the middle was at Yale (a member of Phi Beta Kappa) when he died at age 20. 

I love that new tombstones are being made reminiscent of 19th century ones, like this tree stump with an open Bible on top and a scroll on the front hung with a rope. 

Wow! When his wife Jane died suddenly at age 41, her husband Charles Griffith had their last moment together memorialized in marble. 

 

This one was gorgeous and I took close-ups of the four sides. I believe the figures carved above the deceased's name represents one of the four evangelists.

This eagle represents the evangelist John.

This winged bull or ox represents the evangelist Luke.

The Evangelist Mark is represented here by the winged lion.

And Matthew the Evangelist is represented as this winged man, symbolizing the human nature of Christ.

Another work of art for the Romaine/Tyson monument. The angel in bronze is resting from her weary task of carving the names into the granite.