Photographs, c. 1920-1990 | The Green-Wood Cemetery

This series contains a miscellaneous range of photographs of Green-Wood Cemetery. Taken anywhere from 1920 to 1980, the photographs include Polaroid snapshots, large black-and-white prints, negatives, stereoview images, and book or magazine prints. The subject matter also varies, though in nearly all cases the grounds or buildings of Green-Wood Cemetery are depicted.

The photographs have been organized by subject. A small number of pre-1930 photographs depict scenic views of the grounds and monuments, as do several stereoscope images. The majority of post-1930 photographs were originally taken to document damage caused to the cemetery grounds, or activities that took place in the cemetery, rather than for display purposes. There are a number of prints from a heavy snowstorm that happened in 1934, and an even larger amount from a 1944 rainstorm. Polaroids capture damage from hurricanes Donna and Esther. Polariod images depict construction of the modern office buildings and the crematorium, general maintenance activities, grave-digging, and snapshots of individual lots. Vehicle accidents that occured within Green-Wood are documented, including a large number of polaroids from a city bus accident in 1967. There are a number of Polaroids taken of damage caused by a dock explosion from 1956.

Finally, a small collection of Polaroids and prints depict ceremonies and funerals held at the cemetery. Though most of the photographs contained in the series were taken for documentation rather than artistic purposes, the images contain a striking visual depiction of the cemetery as it appeared at a particular point in time.

Polaroids of lots and maintenance work found among these photographs have remained in this series, though the subject matter and original function of the images may directly overlap with the material found in the series Boundary Marker Photographs (015-2012), Ivy Removal Photographs (017-2012),   Architectural Drawings and Blueprints, c. 1880s-Present (see specifically Series 38: Riley Mausoleum), and Enclosure Removal Photographs (017-2013).

For more information on the Brooklyn dock Explosion of 1956 visit http://theweeklynabe.com/2013/05/15/the-industry-city-brooklyn-fire-and-explosion-1956/