Standing at the center of Green-Wood’s Bay Side Dell is a bronze monument to one of the most illustrious New Yorkers of the nineteenth century – DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828). As a New York City Mayor, New York State Governor and the visionary behind the Erie Canal, Clinton was one of the most popular statesmen of the 19th century. In 1850, Green-Wood arranged to have Clinton’s remains removed from the Little Albany Cemetery and brought to Green-Wood, where an impressive monument would mark his new home. It was a successful marketing tool to bring attention to Green-Wood during its strained early years. The bronze sculpture by Henry Kirke Brown was debuted in City Hall Park in 1853 and made the front page of New York’s Illustrated News on June 4 of that year.

The “Beau Brownie” box camera, pictured above, is one of many products designed by Walter Dorwin Teague for the Eastman Kodak camera company. A pioneer of industrial design in the United States, Teague brought his unique conceptual approach to a variety of special edition cameras for Eastman Kodak during the 1920s and 1930s. Teague believed that even simple household products should have a modern visual appeal. His designs, like that of the “Beau Brownie,” were often characterized by bright colors and art deco patterns. Teague’s restyling of consumer goods was a bold approach that helped to change the course of product design in the 20th century.

The P. Lorillard Tobacco Company, now known as Lorillard Inc., it is the oldest continuously operating tobacco company in the United States. Founded in 1760, the company greatly expanded over the second half of the 19th century under the leadership of Pierre Lorillard IV (1833-1901). The most popular tobacco products Lorillard manufactured were pipe tobacco, cigars, snuff, and chewing tobacco. “Tiger” Brand chewing tobacco was particularly popular during the late 19th century, marketed in colored tins with a faux wicker print and its iconic tiger logo.

Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), or “The Great Divine,” was a man of many talents – clergyman, orator, writer, social reformer. Simply put, he was as close to a celebrity as you could find in the nineteenth century. He was an ardent abolitionist and a proponent of both the temperance and women’s suffrage movements. Every week, Plymouth Church in Brooklyn Heights was filled to capacity with people eager to hear his captivating words. Beecher’s sermons were also published weekly under the title “Plymouth Pulpit.” This particular pamphlet, “The Nature of Liberty,” is indicative of Beecher’s religious philosophy emphasizing God’s absolute love. He speaks of a free religious condition as “a transfer from a life compelled by fear, through conscience, to a life that is inspired and made spontaneous by love.”

Vestie Davis (1903-1978) was a folk artist best known for his spirited paintings of New York City. Coney Island Boardwalk (1964), pictured above, is exemplary of Davis’s paintings. Although untrained in the arts, Davis managed to capture the rich and diverse scenery of the city, from one-of-a-kind landmark buildings and city centers to lively parks and beaches. Originally from Baltimore, Davis moved to New York City in 1928 and was immediately fascinated by its distinct architecture and culture. His artistic vision was to preserve the City that he loved in the face of a changing world. His style emphasized harmony and civility within the city’s social hubs while making use of bright colors and simple lines. Vestie Davis had a unique artistic career and did not begin painting regularly until he was in his forties. He was never trained in art, but rather spent his early years working as a circus barker, a newsstand manager, and an undertaker.

William S. Mangels (1866-1958), inventor and entrepreneur, brought life to Brooklyn’s Coney Island with his innovative amusement ride designs. Founder of the W.F. Mangels Company in the 1880s, Mangels designed over thirty nine amusement rides and other devices over the course of his career, some of which are still in use. The postcard pictured above depicts the rotating cars of “The Whip,” a popular Coney Island ride. Mangels is also credited with introducing the now standard up-and-down “galloping” motion of carousel horses and some of the first “kiddie” rides, designed especially for children.

On the evening of December 5, 1876 a fire broke out in the popular Brooklyn Theatre of Downtown Brooklyn (located at today’s Cadman Plaza, north of the New York Supreme Court Building in a tree-covered area). The fire began backstage and spread rapidly. Within half an hour the structure collapsed. At least 278 individuals lost their lives that night. 103 unidentified victims were buried in a common grave at Green-Wood.

George C. Tilyou (1862-1914) founded Coney Island’s Steeplechase Park, a leading attraction of its day and one of the most popular early amusement parks. Known as “The Funny Place,” the park featured its namesake horseracing ride, plus a swimming pool, carousel, Ferris wheel, and large indoor pavilion. The admission tickets shown above lists six rides for 50 cents, and they feature the iconic grinning face associated with Coney Island.