Ferncliff Cemetery

Ferncliff Cemetery

Secor Road at Ferncliff Cemetery.
Details
Year established 1902
Country United States
Location Hartsdale, New York
Size ?
Number of graves ?

Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is located on Secor Road in the hamlet of Hartsdale, town of Greenburgh, Westchester County, New York, about 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian. Ferncliff has three community mausoleums, a crematory, a small chapel, and a main office located in the rear of the main building.

Contents

Mausoleums

Ferncliff Cemetery is notable for its three community mausoleums.

Ferncliff

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. Judy Garland, Ed Sullivan, and Joan Crawford are three of the most famous interments in the main mausoleum.

Shrine of Memories

The Shrine of Memories is Ferncliff's second mausoleum and was constructed in 1959. "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 large frieze of Christopher Columbus in the main hall of the building. Basil Rathbone is one of the most famous interments in "Shrine of Memories."

Rosewood

Rosewood is Ferncliff's most recently completed community mausoleum, having been constructed in 1999. Aaliyah has a private room in Rosewood.

Cremations

It is interesting to note that 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. John Lennon, Jim Henson and Nelson Rockefeller are three notables who were cremated at Ferncliff.

Ground Burials

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.

Notable interments, burials, cremations

See also

External links