Volunteers Unearth History At Green-Wood Cemetery

Imagine what you’d find if you could look back through Green-Wood Cemetery’s 175 years of records? It’s a bit like panning for gold, according to a story in the Times about a group of volunteers that meets once a month to do just that. They look through “thousands of faded, yellowing letters, telegrams, sketches and blueprints,” and only occasionally does anyone find something relating to one of the more famous people interred in the cemetery.

Even so, it sounds like a pretty incredible journey. As volunteer Sara Fetherolf explained:

“You find yourself constructing stories in your mind,” she said. “You piece together a whole story of a family. You get a little of ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ from it — who died young, who lived to be 85.”

There are a lot of opportunities to volunteer at Green-Wood. If you’re interested in learning more, email your resume and/or letter of interest to Chelsea Dowell at chelseadowell@green-wood.com and put “Volunteer opportunities” in the subject line.

Photo of death receipt from the archives at Green-Wood