Envelope from Brooklyn City Hall, 1895.
With the Green-Wood Cemetery having expanded to its present size by this period, the leaders of the cemetery sought to affirm the proper boundaries of the cemetery’s domain. By 1895, the leaders of the cemetery made their borders more permanent with a new ordinance from the government of Brooklyn. This allowed them to erect a fence around the cemetery made of iron, a more solid material than wood, which was what the previous fence had been made out of. A year later, the leaders of Green-Wood would get additional rights to make adjustments to the cemetery’s boundaries. By 1896, an Act allowed them to buy, sell, or exchange the parcels of land necessary to straighten the boundary lines of the cemetery. With the establishment of these rights, the Green-Wood Cemetery was able to create the official boundaries of the cemetery.
Item #135: Certified Copy of the Brooklyn Ordinance Allowing the Green-Wood Cemetery to Erect Fences on its Stoop Line, July 23, 1895
This ordinance states that on July 23, 1895, the Common Council of the City of Brooklyn passed a resolution: No. 88. This resolution authorized the Green-Wood Cemetery to build fences on the stoop line of the cemetery out of iron or other solid materials instead of wood no more than ten feet high. This new iron fence was also not to be built outside the boundary line of the cemetery, provided that the space between this line and the fence line of the cemetery be used to built gates or plant trees or shrubs. This resolution is important because it authorized the Green-Wood Cemetery to build their fences out of a more solid, and therefore more permanent, material such as iron. This indicates that by 1895 the cemetery was trying to firmly establish its borders.
This ordinance states that on July 23, 1895, the Common Council of the City of Brooklyn passed a resolution: No. 88. This resolution authorized the Green-Wood Cemetery to build fences on the stoop line of the cemetery out of iron or other solid materials instead of wood no more than ten feet high. This new iron fence was also not to be built outside the boundary line of the cemetery, provided that the space between this line and the fence line of the cemetery be used to built gates or plant trees or shrubs. This resolution is important because it authorized the Green-Wood Cemetery to build their fences out of a more solid, and therefore more permanent, material such as iron. This indicates that by 1895 the cemetery was trying to firmly establish its borders.
Item #52: An Act that Authorizes the Green-Wood Cemetery to Exchange, Acquire, and Convey Land in order to straighten the Cemetery’s Boundaries, March 5, 1896
This Act gave the Green-Wood Cemetery’s leaders increased rights to determine the boundaries of the cemetery. Section 1 explains that the Trustees of the Green-Wood Cemetery now have the right to exchange, buy, or sell land in order to straighten the boundaries of the cemetery. However, they do not have the right to do this if it affects or impairs the interest of any owner that owns any lot in the cemetery. Despite this limitation, the passage of this Act is important. It extended the right of the Green-Wood Cemetery to manage its landholdings in order to create a cemetery with straighter boundaries, which would be easier to maintain.
This Act gave the Green-Wood Cemetery’s leaders increased rights to determine the boundaries of the cemetery. Section 1 explains that the Trustees of the Green-Wood Cemetery now have the right to exchange, buy, or sell land in order to straighten the boundaries of the cemetery. However, they do not have the right to do this if it affects or impairs the interest of any owner that owns any lot in the cemetery. Despite this limitation, the passage of this Act is important. It extended the right of the Green-Wood Cemetery to manage its landholdings in order to create a cemetery with straighter boundaries, which would be easier to maintain.
The Green-Wood Cemetery boundary fence, with main entrance gateway in the background.