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

Little has been written about Long Island's many historically rich cemeteries. So, I was most pleased to write about ten of them for Newsday . My story is the cover for today's Long Island Life section. The history of us: Tombstone tourism connects visitors to Long Island's past

One of my favorite places to visit at Green-Wood is the spectacular Mackay family mausoleum. This architectural marvel  boasts heat, electricity, and an altar inside.  The  story of the Mackay family is as dramatic as a popular 80s TV soap like Dallas or Dynasty.  John Forsyth could easily play Patriarch John W. Mackay, who made his fortune in mining.  It was after the sudden death of his son, John Jr., in 1895 that Mackay had this mausoleum built.  Three years later, when Mackay's younger son, Clarence, married, his parents gifted him a Stanford White estate, Harbor Hill, on Long Island's "Gold Coast."  Mackay's daughter, Ellin, went against her father's wishes and married world-renowned composer Irving Berlin.