In the fall of 2002, our first Historic Fund volunteers began working on our Civil War Project, searching Green-Wood’s grounds for any sign of Civil War veterans. Since that time, hundreds of volunteers have stepped forward, researching Green-Wood’s permanent residents, writing biographies, processing archival materials, working at the Historic Fund cart to greet visitors, appearing … Read more
Ada Rehan (1857-1916) was a renowned American actress of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Born Delia Crehan, the actress adopted her stage name after being misbilled as Ada C. Rehan. She gained notoriety for her performances in classic comedies. Rehan is pictured here in costume for one of her most famous roles, Lady Teazle in Sheridan’s The School for Scandal. In 1891, the dramatic critic William Winter praised Rehan’s acting ability. Of her performance as Lady Teazle he wrote, “No previous representative of the part, upon the American stage, has dressed it so richly as it was dressed by Ada Rehan.”
Eugene W. Durkee (1850-1926) was a successful merchant of condiments, spices, and sauces. His father, Eugene R. Durkee, founded the Durkee company in 1861 to market his “secret recipe” dressing for salads and meats. Durkee quickly expanded, however, to manufacturing various sauces, condiments and spices. With factories in both Brooklyn and Queens, the Durkee Company was quite successful and well known in New York City. Pictured here is a tin in which cloves were sold, “One of Durkee’s Famous Foods.” Eugene W. Durkee went on to work for the federal government in 1906, hired to write federal standards for spices and extracts. Click the image to expand.
This serene seaside landscape was created by Lucy M. Durand Woodman (1829-1910), daughter of famed Hudson River School artist Asher B. Durand, dubbed the “Father of American Landscape Painting.” It is no question that Woodman shared with her father an affinity for capturing the essence of America’s natural landscape. This particular work, “Old Orchard, Maine,” depicts light waves crashing along the shore on a cloudy day. The artist and her father share a final resting space here in Green-Wood, surrounded by the natural beauty that provided inspiration for their work over a century ago.
“Death Becomes Her–A Century of Mourning Attire,” is now on display at The Metropolitan Museum. Running through February 1, 2015, it displays extraordinary mourning costumes, mostly for women, and related accessories, which were in use for the century between 1815 and 1915. These are mostly high end outfits–courtesy of the Met’s Costume Institute. Many of … Read more
“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” also known as the “Negro National Anthem” and the official song of the NAACP, was written by Green-Wood resident and civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938). A prominent figure of the Harlem Renaissance, Johnson was a novelist, songwriter and poet. This famous song, which made its debut in 1900, was a collaboration between James and his brother, John Rosamond Johnson. James was the lyricist, and his brother composed the music. The Johnson brothers are pictured on the cover of this 1973 version of the sheet music.
Last week, Chelsea Dowell, Green-Wood’s manager of programs and membership, and I went over to the studios of Brooklyn Independent Media (BRIC) to shoot a live segment about the cemetery. Shot at BRIC’s Arts Media House, corner of Fulton Street and Rockwell Place, “BK LIVE,” is a one hour show about Brooklyn, broken into four … Read more
Juliet Corson (1842-1897) was a pioneering cooking instructor and cookbook author of the late nineteenth century. Greatly affected by the plight of the working poor, she recognized the difficulty of providing one’s family with proper nutrition on a strict budget. Corson devoted herself to the study of cooking, developing recipes that were both inexpensive and healthy. Pictured above is a copy of Corson’s Cooking Manual of Practical Directions for Economical Everyday Cooking, in which she declares “This book is intended for the use of those housekeepers and cooks who wish to know how to make the most wholesome and palatable dishes at the least possible cost.”
Green-Wood is indeed a place for all seasons. This year has been a wonderfully colorful fall at Green-Wood. Here are a few images that I shot yesterday. I thought I might have been a bit late going out, but it really was spectacular. If you have a chance to get out on the grounds this … Read more
Henry Evelyn Pierrepont (1808-1888) conceived of the idea for Green-Wood Cemetery in the early 1830s, envisioning an area amid the picturesque hills of Brooklyn, to serve those in the New York City area with natural and serene burial space. By 1838, Pierrepont’s vision finally became a reality. On April 18, 1838, The New York State Legislature passed an Act of Incorporation, declaring that “The Green-Wood Cemetery” was established “for the purpose of establishing a public burial ground in the City of Brooklyn.” Pictured here is the original founding document.