Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

Nearby Green-Wood Cemetery's Sylvan Water is the often-photographed mausoleum of the Michel family. In the early 20th century, the Leonhard Michel Brewing Co., located in Brooklyn, was well-known. Its story can be found in 'The Breweries of Brooklyn,' published in 1976. Tragedy struck the family when, in December of 1914, Leonhard's son, Frank, committed suicide at the age of 41. In an eerie coincidence, plans for the family mausoleum were drawn up earlier that year.

  Charles Feltman is credited with "inventing" the hot dog. In 1871, Feltman opened the Feltman Restaurant and Beer Garden in Coney Island. His establishment proved hugely popular, and on one day alone it was reported that he served 40,000 hot dogs. One of his workers, Nathan Handwerker, would go on to achieve his own fame after opening his own Coney Island hot dog restaurant: Nathan's.

  I've just visiting Green-Wood for the umpteenth time. Given that I've written a book about the cemetery, as well as a number of articles, it might seen like there's nothing new to see. But that's definitely not the case. Its 478 acres always offer a previously unseen historical and/or architectural gem along with a new perspective on oft-photographed favorites. What's more, seeing the grounds through a friend's first visit (as I did yesterday) is illuminating. 

  The Weeping Angel is one of my all-time favorite monuments. So much so, that I requested that the publisher of my last book-- Gardens of Stone--make it the cover.  This monument is Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery, but variations can be found in a number of cemeteries around the world.

Calvary Cemetery's Johnston mausoleum is a perennial favorite of mine. Here's another view of it towering above the rest of the gravesites. It is the second largest structure on the grounds, and fans of The Godfather may recall seeing it in Don Corleone's funeral scene. Entombed within are the Johnston brothers, who were proprietors of a successful (very successful judging by their final resting place) dry goods store in the 19th century.