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Ferncliff Cemetery

Coordinates: 41°01′39″N 73°49′56″W / 41.02750°N 73.83222°W / 41.02750; -73.83222
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Ferncliff Cemetery
Secor Road outside Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York
Map
Details
Established1902; 122 years ago (1902)
Location
CountryUnited States
No. of graves>48,000
WebsiteFerncliff Cemetery Association
Find a GraveFerncliff Cemetery

Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is a cemetery in Greenburgh, New York, United States, about 25 miles (40 km) north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian. Ferncliff has columbariums, a crematory, a small chapel, and a main office located in the rear of the main building.

Mausoleums

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Ferncliff Mausoleum in the cemetery
The main gates to the cemetery

Ferncliff Cemetery has three community mausoleums that offer what The New York Times has described as "lavish burial spaces". This cemetery includes columbariums. As of 2001, a standard crypt space in the mausoleums was priced at $15,000. The highest-priced spaces were private burial rooms with bronze gates, crystal chandeliers, and stained-glass windows, priced at $280,000.[1]

Ferncliff

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The Ferncliff Mausoleum, aka "The Cathedral of Memories", is the cemetery's oldest mausoleum, constructed in 1928. It has classic architecture, but the corridors are dark without glass panes to admit natural light. Ed Sullivan and Joan Crawford are two of the most famous interments in the main mausoleum. Judy Garland was interred here from her death in 1969 until 2017 when her family moved her remains to Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.[2]

Shrine of Memories

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The Shrine of Memories is Ferncliff's second mausoleum and was constructed in 1956. "Shrine of Memories" is a more contemporary structure than "Ferncliff Mausoleum". It has many panes of glass to admit natural light, and there is a painting of Christopher Columbus in the main hall of the building. Basil Rathbone is one of the most famous interments in "Shrine of Memories".

Rosewood

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Rosewood is Ferncliff's most recently completed community mausoleum, having been constructed in 1999. Joseph J. Mangan was the architect of Rosewood. Singer Aaliyah and her father Michael Haughton have a private room in Rosewood. Cab Calloway is interred with his wife Zulme "Nuffie".

Ground burials

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The cemetery is also known for its in-ground burials in sections located in front of the mausoleums. Ferncliff is one of the very few cemeteries that does not permit upright headstones in its outdoor plots. All outdoor grave markers are flush with the ground. This feature facilitates maintenance of the cemetery grounds. However, there are several upright headstones that were placed before this policy was instituted. Malcolm X and the most famous ground burials, in plot Pinewood B.

Notable burials

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Cremations

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Ferncliff Cemetery has the only crematory in Westchester County, New York, and performs approximately 10% of the cremations in New York state. Because of local ordinances, no additional crematories can be constructed in Westchester County.

People whose remains were cremated and inurned at Ferncliff, but whose ashes were taken somewhere else include:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hu, Winnie (May 6, 2001). "For Chinese, Bliss Is Eternity in the Suburbs". New York Times.
  2. ^ Gomez, Patrick; Mizoguchi, Karen (January 26, 2017). "Judy Garland's Remains Moved From New York Burial Place to L.A.'s Hollywood Forever Cemetery". People. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  3. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (25 August 2021). "Aaliyah Unofficial Biographer Denies Promoting Book at Cemetery After Singer's Mom Slams 'Individual'". People.
  4. ^ "The New York Grimpendium: Ferncliff Cemetery".
  5. ^ Jones, Malcolm (10 October 2017). "Thelonious Monk Will Change Your Life, Even from the Grave". The Daily Beast.
  6. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (19 November 2011). "Jay-Z, Usher + More Bid Farewell to Heavy D at Private Funeral". PopCrush.
  7. ^ "Taiwan Quick Take". Taipei Times. Jun 14, 2004. p. 3.
  8. ^ Berger, Joseph (October 30, 2003). "An Epitaph for Madame Chiang Kai-shek: 'Mama'". New York Times.
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41°01′39″N 73°49′56″W / 41.02750°N 73.83222°W / 41.02750; -73.83222