Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Recovering Three Cemeteries From the Outer Boroughs

Summary

HPI studied the Northern Cemetery of the Staten Island Quarantine Grounds, where patients from the Marine Hospital were buried in the mid-nineteenth century.  The stories of immigrant inmates and caregivers at the facility provide a glimpse of the desperation experienced by those confined within.  In 1858, nearby residents burned the Quarantine buildings to the ground to rid the community of "pestilence" and "miasma" associated with the hospital.  HPI disinterred intact and partial burials from the cemetery, leaving a large section undisturbed as a memorial park.  HPI also studied two contiguous cemeteries in the Bronx: the Hedger-Edwards Cemetery (1769-late 19th c.) and the Dutch Reformed Church of West Farms Cemetery (1845-1891).  Both lay hidden 50+ years beneath asphalt.  Redevelopment plans led to archaeological testing; excavations removed more than 88 complete and partial burials, associated artifacts, and gravestones.  The stories of those disinterred were brought to life, with descendants rediscovering their ancestors.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018   •
• Reclaiming Identity at Forgotten Cemeteries in New York City

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 873