National Historic Landmark

Green-Wood Cemetery

Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
Listed
March 8, 1997
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
97000228

About this property

Green-Wood Cemetery is a 478-acre (193 ha) cemetery in western Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, Kensington, and Sunset Park, and lies several blocks southwest of Prospect Park. Its boundaries include, among other streets, 20th Street to the northeast, Fifth Avenue to the northwest, 36th and 37th Streets to the southwest, Fort Hamilton Parkway to the south, and McDonald Avenue to the east. Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery, in a time of rapid urbanization when churchyards in New York City were becoming overcrowded. Described as "Brooklyn's first public park by default long before Prospect Park was created", Green-Wood Cemetery was so popular that it inspired a competition to design Central Park in Manhattan, as well as Prospect Park nearby. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 and was made a National Historic Landmark in 2006. In addition, the 25th Street gates, the Weir Greenhouse, and the Fort Hamilton Parkway Gate & Green-Wood Cemetery Chapel were separately designated as city landmarks by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission at various times.

Location

500 25th Street
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York
40.65364, -73.99968

Categories

ARCHITECTUREARTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Weir Greenhouse
Industrial
0.4 mi
Storehouse No. 2, U.S. Navy Fleet Supply Base
Industrial
0.5 mi
68th Police Precinct Station House and Stable
Industrial
0.5 mi
9th Avenue Station (Dual System BRT)
Industrial
0.6 mi
Fourth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Long Island
1776Revolutionary War
1.4 mi
Battle of Long Island — Jamaica Pass Flanking
1776Revolutionary War
1.6 mi
Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights)
1776Revolutionary War
2.6 mi
Battle of Long Island — Battle Pass
1776Revolutionary War
2.6 mi
Battle of Long Island — Gowanus Heights
1776Revolutionary War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Green-Wood Cemetery listed on the National Register?

Green-Wood Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Green-Wood Cemetery?

Green-Wood Cemetery is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Green-Wood Cemetery a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Green-Wood Cemetery has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Green-Wood Cemetery?

The period of significance for Green-Wood Cemetery is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Green-Wood Cemetery?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Green-Wood Cemetery will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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