Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum
| Vanderbilt Family Cemetery | |
|---|---|
 Mausoleum of the Vanderbilt family | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°35′02″N 74°07′08″W / 40.584°N 74.119°W |
| Size | 113 acres (46 ha) |
| Find a Grave | Vanderbilt Family Cemetery |
The Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum is a private family cemetery and mausoleum located inside the Moravian Cemetery in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City.[1]
Location
Located at 2205 Richmond Road, the Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum is located on the eastern slope of Todt Hill[2] inside the Moravian Cemetery. The Moravian Cemetery opened in 1740 and is the largest and oldest active cemetery on Staten Island.
Todt Hill is the highest natural point on the Eastern Seaboard between Cape Cod and Florida rising to 410 feet.[2]
History
In the 19th century, Cornelius Vanderbilt gave the Moravian Church 8+1⁄2 acres (3.4 ha).[3] Three years later, Cornelius Vanderbilt donated an additional 45 acres (18 ha) which is the majority of the Moravian Cemetery and the site of the private Vanderbilt plot.[3] Later, his son William Henry Vanderbilt gave a further 4 acres (1.6 ha) and constructed the residence for the cemetery superintendent.
Mausoleum
The Vanderbilt mausoleum, designed by Richard Morris Hunt and constructed in 1885–1886,[2] is part of the family's private section within the cemetery. Their mausoleum is a replica of a Romanesque church in Arles, France. The landscaped grounds around the Vanderbilt mausoleum were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Vanderbilt section is not open to the public. The Vanderbilt mausoleum was made a New York City designated landmark in 2016.[4]
William Henry Vanderbilt was the richest man in America when he died in December 1885.
Interment within the mausoleum was reserved to those with the Vanderbilt name, including sons, their wives, and unmarried daughters. It houses the remains of all four of William and Maria's sons and three of their wives. The Vanderbilt Mausoleum was constructed by Vanderbilt family members at the height of their wealth, power, and prominence, when they were commissioning some of America's finest and most enduring works of architecture.
“The Vanderbilt Mausoleum is an extraordinary monument to America’s Gilded Age,” said New York Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Srinivasan. “It was built by the country’s wealthiest family of the time, and by two of America’s greatest designers—Richard Morris Hunt and Frederick Law Olmsted. The Commission is proud to grant this outstanding structure landmark protection.”[2]
Vanderbilt Cemetery Association
The Vanderbilt Cemetery Association was created in 2010 by members of the Vanderbilt family to help preserve and protect the property. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III is chairman.[5]
Notable burials
Notable burials in the Vanderbilt family's private section within the cemetery include:[3]
- Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794–1877), railroad tycoon.
- William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885).
- Cornelius van Derbilt (1764–1832), father of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- Phebe van Derbilt (née Hand) (1767–1854), mother of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- Sophia Johnson (1795–1868), first wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt (1839–1885), second wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- George Washington Vanderbilt (1832–1836).
- George Washington Vanderbilt (1839–1863).
- George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862–1914).
- Maria Louisa Kissam (1821–1896), wife of William Henry Vanderbilt.
- Frances Lavinia Vanderbilt (1829–1868).
- Gloria Vanderbilt (1924–2019), heiress and wife of Wyatt Emory Cooper
- Wyatt Emory Cooper (1927–1978), American author, screenwriter, actor, and fourth husband of Gloria Vanderbilt.
- Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (1912–1999), society scion and racetrack/racehorse owner.
- Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843–1899), son of Cornelius Vanderbilt.
- Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (1880–1925), millionaire, equestrian, and gambler.
See also
References
- ^ Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum Find a Grave, Cemetery ID 2644640.
- ^ a b c d ""COMMISSION DESIGNATES EIGHT BACKLOG SITES AS OFFICIAL CITY LANDMARKS"". Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ a b c ""VANDERBILT MAUSOLEUM, Staten Island"" (PDF). Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ Dunlap, David W. (April 12, 2016). "Pepsi-Cola Sign in Queens Gains Landmark Status". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "VANDERBILT CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, INC". Retrieved May 27, 2022.