Special Event
-
(Sold Out) 2 p.m. Brooklyn Backstory: Hot Diggity Dogs!
Brooklyn Historical Society 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY, United States
Travel on our history trolley into Brooklyn’s storied past! When it comes to Brooklyn past and present, there’s no better tag team than Green-Wood and the Brooklyn Historical Society. So let us take you on an exploratory trolley ride through some of Brooklyn’s most fun and fascinating subjects. Click the event title above for more information. -
(Sold Out) 2 p.m. Brooklyn Backstory: Hot Diggity Dogs!
Brooklyn Historical Society 128 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesTravel on our history trolley into Brooklyn’s storied past! When it comes to Brooklyn past and present, there’s no better tag team than Green-Wood and the Brooklyn Historical Society. So let us take you on an exploratory trolley ride through some of Brooklyn’s most fun and fascinating subjects. Click the event title above for more information. -
(Sold Out) 7:30 p.m. Silent Night – Classic Movies in a Gothic Setting
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesGather in Green-Wood’s cozy historic chapel for a night of movies, music, and hot toddies.
In the age before sound, New York City was the center of the silent film biz. So it’s not surprising that several early movie stars are buried at Green-Wood. See short films from Green-Wood residents: westerns, comedies, even a feminist manifesto called “Petticoat Camp”! Plus professional accompanist Ben Model will play music for each film, just like the old days.
Don’t miss seeing these rare films with live music in a gorgeous silent-era chapel!
-
1 p.m. Charlie Tinker: Lincoln’s Telegrapher
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesLearn the fascinating story of Charles Tinker – Civil War telegrapher and confidant for President Abraham Lincoln. Tinker, who has been interred at Green-Wood since 1917, has a fascinating story that had been lost to the annals of time until it was discovered by award-winning author (and Tinker descendant by marriage) Ronda Rich. She will lead you through her discoveries that culminated in a visit to the Tinker Family lot at Green-Wood.
In our Historic Chapel, Rich will delve into Tinker’s astounding past, using fascinating first-hand resources, like Tinker’s personal diaries, that have been handed down through the family. After the talk, board Green-Wood’s trolley with Green-Wood Historian Jeff Richman and Ronda Rich for a Civil War tour highlighted by a visit to the Tinker Family lot.
-
(Sold Out) 3 p.m. The History of Urban Distilling
Green-Wood Cemetery 500 25th Street, Brooklyn, NY, United StatesJoin Kings County Distillery co-founder Colin Spoelman to delve into the unique history of distilling and whiskey culture in New York City. Learn about palatial 18th-century Brooklyn distilleries, the 19th century "whiskey wars" that involved actual casualties, and more -- Brooklyn has played a prominent role in the long and tumultuous history of alcohol in the city.
In Green-Wood's cozy Historic Chapel, Spoelman, author of a new book "The Kings County Distillery Guide to Urban Moonshining," will tell these fascinating tales, all depicted in his book and featuring Green-Wood "permanent residents." After all the whiskey talk, you can pick up a book, have it autographed, and then taste the good stuff with a sampling of Kings County's product. Then you'll hop on Green-Wood's trolley for a tour to whiskey-related sites in Green-Wood.
-
(Sold Out) 1 p.m. Black History at Green-Wood
In honor of Black History Month, Green-Wood presents a special trolley tour with Historian Jeff Richman.
Though segregation has certainly been an issue in the city, Brooklyn and New York City also have long histories of diversity and civil rights activism. This trolley tour will examine the life and accomplishments of many prominent black New Yorkers, as well as several abolitionists also working for freedom in America.
Stops will include Susan Smith McKinney Stewart, the first black female doctor in the state; Jean-Michel Basquiat, innovative artist of the 1970s and '80s; Jeremiah Hamilton, New York's first black millionaire; civil war heroes and survivors; and more. Their stories illustrate the long struggle towards equality and the deep impact black New Yorkers have been making on New York City culture since its inception.
-
2 p.m. Tu-mulchuous and Tree-mendous Event
Free mulch! Free tree! You bring us a bag, we’ll give you the mulch.
Come to Green-Wood to pick up free mulch for your garden (and ours is top-grade!), free advice from our horticulture experts, and even bring home a free tree in collaboration with the New York Restoration Project and MillionTreesNYC. Whether you garden in your backyard or in a community garden, come to Green-Wood for this great afternoon and help us make New York an even greener city.
-
1 p.m. Bannerman Castle: The Medieval Ruins of Hudson Valley
For generations, boat and train passengers have been mystified by the sight of castle-like structures looming on an island in the Hudson River. Join Wes and Barbara Gottlock, authors of a book on the subject and tour guides of the island, as they detail the history of this remarkable site, dating back to 1900 when the land was purchased by Brooklyn resident Francis Bannerman (now buried at Green-Wood) for the storage of military goods which he sold through a world famous Civil War-era catalog. With extensive research and stunning photographs, the Gottlocks will cover the island’s rise as a glorious landmark and its eventual decline – plus the recent calls for preservation and restoration. Buy a book and have it signed, then board the Green-Wood trolley for a short tour, including a stop at the Bannerman family plot.
-
1 p.m. Restoring Glory to Creighton
James Creighton was baseball’s first megastar. Revolutionizing the pitcher’s role and changing the game forever, his shocking death at the age of 21 made him baseball’s first martyr. Buried at Green-Wood in 1862, Creighton’s grave quickly took its place in the pantheon of baseball meccas – his obelisk, topped with an iconic lemon-peel baseball (in marble), became a place of pilgrimage. However, that charming marble baseball disappeared long ago. Now, thanks to the work of Green-Wood historian Jeff Richman, baseball historian Tom Gilbert and an impressive lineup of loyal baseball fans, the marble top is back. Join us on our trolley as we drive out to Jim Creighton’s final resting place--with a guided tour by Richman and Gilbert of baseball sites along the way--for a celebration of this 19th-century phenom and the rededication of his monument.
-
1 p.m. Designing Green-Wood: New York’s First Rural Greenspace
Green-Wood owes much of its splendor to the genius of its original designer - landscape architect David Bates Douglass. The twists and turns of Green-Wood's 40 miles of pathways purposefully create visual surprises around each bend. In 1838, Douglass eschewed the long vistas of unobstructed open space, in favor of rolling hills and meandering, serpentine walkways.
Join Superintendent of Grounds, Art Presson, in Green-Wood's Historic Chapel for a talk on David Bates Douglass's intent and original design. Then board the trolley for a tour of what's changed, what's stayed the same, and how the Green-Wood landscape has evolved over 175 years.
Green-Wood’s public programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.