MARBLE CEMETERY, INC.

S E C O N D AVE N UE A BOVE S E C O N D S TRE E T E S TA BLI S H E D 1830

RE STORATION OF TH E GATE S AP RIL , 2 0 0 1

a n y c e m e te rie s a re id e n tifie d b y M th e ir g a te s: v isito rs to Mo u n t Au b u rn in Ca m b rid g e p a ss th ro u g h its fa m o u s E g y p tia n Re v iv a l e n tra n c e , b u ilt in 1 8 43 ; Ric h a rd U p jo h n ‘s Go th ic g a te h o u se a t Gre e n -W o o d in B ro o k ly n h a s b e e n a n a ttra c tio n sin c e its c o n stru c tio n ; th e To k u g a w a sh o g u n s o f se v e ra l g e n e ra tio n s a re in te rre d b e h in d th e o rn a te k a ra -m o n g a te w a y s o f 1 7 th -c e n tu ry Nik k o . Th e se a re a ll c e m e te rie s b u ilt o n a g ra n d sc a le . Th e h a lf-a c re Ne w Y o rk Ma rb le Ce m e te ry , th o u g h le ss g ra n d , still h a s m e m o ra b le g a te s.

n th e w e st sid e o f Se c o n d O Av e n u e b e tw e e n 2 n d a n d 3 rd Stre e ts is a 1 0 -fo o t b y 1 0 0 -fo o t a lle y w a y . A p a ir o f h e a v y w o o d e n g a te s w a s o rig in a lly in sta lle d a t th e in n e r e n d o f th e p a ssa g e . Th e n , in 1 8 5 3 , a $ 5 a sse ssm e n t le v ie d o n e a c h v a u lt m a d e p o ssib le so m e o rn a m e n ta l iro n g a te s n e a r th e stre e t. W h e n a n e n d o w m e n t w a s ra ise d in 1 9 0 6 , th e Ce m e te ry w a s in a p o sitio n to a d d a n o th e r p a ir. Th e w o o d e n o n e s w e re d isc a rd e d so th a t th e o ld e r iro n g a te s c o u ld b e m o v e d to th e in sid e , a n d a Co u rte sy o f th e Ne w Y o rk P u b lic L ib ra ry n e w p a ir w a s p la c e d o n th e stre e t. The outer gates as they looked in 1938, before the upper ornamentation was lost. o re c o rd h a s y e t b e e n fo u n d o f N th e b u ild e r o f th e e a rlie r g a te s, No decision has been made on replacing the ironwork above the arch or the urns on b u t w e k n o w th a t th e la te r o n e s w e re the pillars, all of which disappeared long ago.

fo rg e d b y th e W illia m R. P itt th The central decoration is not a cherub, but a pair of wings under a scallop shell. In Co m p o site Iro n W o rk s o n W e st 2 4 Christian iconography, the wings represent the soul ascending. The shell has two Stre e t. B o th p a irs w e re d ism a n tle d meanings: it is best known as the symbol of St. James, particularly Santiago de a n d tra n sp o rte d to V e rm o n t la st Compostela, and by extension, pilgrimage, but also represents rebirth, baptism, and D e c e m b e r so th a t B o b B a rre tt, a resurrection. Though the dead could be considered the ultimate pilgrims, the m e ta lw o rk e r in H a rtla n d , c o u ld second interpretation is more likely. re sto re th e m . Th e o u te r g a te s w ill b e b a c k in p la c e b y Ma y 7 ; th e in n e r g a te s w ill fo llo w th is su m m e r.

h e Ce m e te ry g a te s a re m a d e fro m b o th c a st iro n a n d w ro u g h t iro n . W ro u g h t iro n is p ro d u c e d b y h e a tin g , re fin in g , a n d Tr o llin g th e first p ig iro n fro m a b la st fu rn a c e . Th e p ro c e ss re d u c e s c a rb o n a n d re m o v e s m o st o f th e im p u ritie s. Its fib ro u s n a tu re a llo w s it to b e e a sily h a m m e re d in to sh a p e s. Th e first ru stin g p ro d u c e s sc a le , a p ro te c tiv e film , th a t re d u c e s fu rth e r c o rro sio n . Mo d e rn ste e l is a m ix tu re o f iro n a n d .1 % to 1 .7 % c a rb o n . It ru sts in in c o h e re n t la y e rs w h ic h e a sily fla k e o ff, e x p o sin g fre sh a re a o f th e m e ta l to fu rth e r a tta c k . W ro u g h t iro n w a s la st p ro d u c e d in th e U n ite d Sta te s in 1 9 6 9 , so Mr. B a rre tt h a s b e e n w o rk in g w ith m a te ria l im p o rte d fro m E u ro p e .

a st iro n is m a d e fro m p ig iro n b y re m e ltin g a n d p o u rin g it in to m o ld s. It c o n ta in s fro m 2 % to 4% c a rb o n a n d is q u ite C b rittle . Ca st iro n h a s lo n g b e e n th e iro n w o rk e rs‘ c h o ic e fo r re p e titiv e d e c o ra tiv e e le m e n ts b e c a u se th e d e ta il w o rk h a s to b e d o n e o n ly o n c e a n d c a n th e n b e re p ro d u c e d a s o fte n a s n e e d e d . Th e c a stin g p ro c e ss e n ta ils so m e sh rin k a g e , so Mr. B a rre tt m u st p a d o u t h is m o d e ls to c o m p e n sa te . Th e a c tu a l c a stin g o f re p la c e m e n t se c tio n s is b e in g d o n e a t th e Cu m b e rla n d Fo u n d ry in Rh o d e Isla n d .

1 9 0 8 GATE S

2 0 0 0 p h o to h e g a te s o n Se c o n d Av e n u e a re Tm a d e fro m v a rio u s size s o f w ro u g h t-iro n b a r sto c k , b o lte d in to g e o m e tric c o n fig u ra tio n s a n d e m b e llish e d w ith b o th c a st a n d fo rg e d e le m e n ts.

h e to p -p la te s o n th e p o sts, th e Tr o se tte s, a n d th e lo c k b o x a re c a stin g s. Th e la rg e slid in g b o lt m e c h a n ism sh o w n h e re w a s a d d e d in m id -c e n tu ry a n d h a s n o w b e e n re m o v e d . Th e to p a n d b o tto m la tc h e s a re b a c k in w o rk in g o rd e r a n d th e o rig in a l lo c k c o u ld b e re p a ire d .

o rg e d p a rts o n th e n e w e r g a te Fi n c lu d e flo ra l d e ta ils o n th e to p s o f th e p ic k e ts a n d th e c irc le s in th e p a n e ls. Th e te rm — fo rg e d “ im p lie s w ro u g h t b a rsto c k th a t is re h e a te d in a b la c k sm ith ‘s fo rg e a n d h a m m e re d in to a rtistic sh a p e s The 1908 outer gates just before restoration. o r w e ld e d to g e th e r b y h a m m e r b lo w s. The bronze plaque on the left side reads “Enclosed within this block is the oldest public non-sectarian cemetery in the city. Descendants of the original owners may still be buried here. The 156 solid marble vaults were tru c tu ra l p ro b le m s h a d to b e built completely underground as a health precaution. Though no markers S c o rre c te d . Mo st p o st le g s a n d are on the ground, names of the original owners from each family are on m a n y p ic k e t b o tto m s h a d ru ste d marble tablets in the surrounding walls. The cemetery is a a w a y . So m e p iv o ts h a d fro ze n , Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.” fo rc in g th e ir so c k e ts to ro ta te .

Iron. f. (iren, Saxon.)

A metal common to all parts, and of a fmall price. Though the lighteft of all metals, except tin, it is the hardeft; and, when pure, naturally malleable: when wrought into fteel, or when in the impure ftate from its firft fusion, in which it is called caft iron, it is fcarce malleable. Iron is very capable of ruft, very fonorous, and requires the ftrongest fire of all the metals to melt it. The fpecifick gravity of iron is to water as 7632 is to 1000. Iron has greater medicinal virtues than other metals.

A D ic tio n a ry o f th e E n g lish L a n g u a g e … b y Sa m u e l Jo h n so n , A.M. Se v e n th E d itio n , L o n d o n , MD CCL X X X III.

1 9 9 9 p h o to

The original gates, placed on Second Avenue in 1854 and moved to the inside of the alley in 1908, should be returned by mid-summer.

1 8 5 4 GATE S

h e g a te s th a t o p e n in to th e Ce m e te ry itse lf a re sim ila r Ti n sc a le a n d o v e ra ll a p p e a ra n c e to th e o n e s o n Se c o n d Av e n u e , sin c e b o th h a v e p illa rs w ith th e sa m e w ro u g h t-b a r le g stru c tu re . Th e ir c o n stru c tio n d iffe rs, th o u g h , b e c a u se th e b a se se c tio n s o n th is g a te a re se p a ra te . Ma n y o f th e jo in ts a re m o rtise -a n d œte n o n .

h e le g s w e re n e a rly a ll ru ste d o ff, c a u sin g b o th h a lv e s Tt o le a n a g a in st th e w a ll a n d p re v e n tin g e ith e r g a te fro m sw in g in g fre e ly . D e sp ite its d e c re p it a p p e a ra n c e , re p a irs to th e o ld e r g a te a re e x p e c te d to b e m u c h le ss c o m p lic a te d th a n th o se m a d e to th e n e w e r o n e .

h e d istin g u ish in g fe a tu re o n th e in n e r g a te s is th e Te x te n siv e u se o f c a st iro n fo r th e b e a u tifu l in fill p a n e ls a n d sp e a rh e a d s. Ne w p ie c e s w ill b e c a st to re p la c e th o se th a t a re m issin g .

TH E CRAFTSMAN

b o u t fiv e y e a rs a g o Mr. B a rre tt Ac o m b in e d h is e x p e rie n c e a s a sh e e tm e ta l w o rk e r, m a c h in ist, b la c k sm ith , a n d w e ld e r to sta rt h is o w n b u sin e ss. Sp e c ia l c o m m issio n s ta k e u p m o st o f h is tim e . Th is c u rre n t p ro je c t is p re se n tin g e n o u g h n e w c h a lle n g e s to k e e p h im in te re ste d . U n d e r a ll th e c o a ts o f p a in t o n th e o u te r g a te s th e re w e re so m e su rp rise s w a itin g : th e le tte rs o n th e sc ro ll b e a rin g th e Ce m e te ry ‘s n a m e re v e a le d th e m se lv e s a s so lid b ro n ze ; th e v a rie ty o f riv e ts a n d te n o n jo in ts w a s fa r g re a te r th a n e x p e c te d ; a n d th e p ie c e s o f o n e p a n e l, w h ic h Mr. B a rre tt w ish e d h e h a d m a rk e d d u rin g d isa sse m b ly , tu rn e d o u t to h a v e b e e n n u m b e re d b y c h ise l b y th e o rig in a l iro n w o rk e r. 2 0 0 1 p h o to

o st o f th e re p a ir w o rk is b e in g M d o n e b y b ra ze -w e ld in g , u sin g a n o x y g e n -a c e ty le n e to rc h . Are a s w ith la rg e c a v itie s (Mr. B a rre tt re fe rs to th e Bob Barrett working on the scroll at his forge in Hartland, Vermont. — Ne w Y o rk E ffe c t“ ) a re fille d w ith b ro n ze to re tu rn th e m to th e ir o rig in a l Making a new scroll proved more difficult than expected because d im e n sio n s. W ro u g h t iro n b a rs th a t curled sections on the edges, probably representing paper frills, a re c o m p le te ly ru ste d o ff a re h a v in g were rolled outward on the top and bottom edges and rolled inward n e w p o rtio n s a d d e d . W ith th e on the ends. The Cemetery extends its thanks to Mr. Barrett not only e x c e p tio n o f sta in le ss ste e l b o lts in th e for his fine metal work, but also for providing much of the foregoing stru c tu ra l c o n n e c tio n s, n o ste e l is text. b e in g u se d . Fo rg e -w e ld e d jo in ts w e re u se d fo r d e c o ra tiv e , n o t stru c tu ra l, p a rts. All o f th e m th a t h a v e b e e n e x a m in e d so fa r a p p e a r a s so u n d a s w h e n th e y w e re first m a d e .

h risto p h e r Ne v ille , a n An so n G. P h e lp s d e sc e n d a n t a n d p ro fe ssio n a l h isto ria n , h a s re c e n tly u n c o v e re d so m e o ld C p h o to g ra p h s o f th e g a te s, in c lu d in g th e o n e o n th e first p a g e , ta k e n w h e n th e lo n g -lo st o rn a m e n ta tio n a b o v e th e a rc h a n d o n to p o f th e p illa rs w a s still in ta c t. Mr. B a rre tt w ill in sta ll a re c e iv in g p la te o n th e to p o f th e a rc h so th a t it w ill b e p o ssib le to a d d so m e th in g la te r, a s in te re st a n d fin a n c e s a llo w . It c o u ld b e e ith e r a re p lic a o f th e o rig in a l d e c o ra tio n o r a sim p lifie d v a ria tio n o f sim ila r m a ss th a t w o u ld p ro v id e th e sa m e b a la n c e . W h a te v e r th e fin a l d e c isio n , w e h o p e th a t th e g a te s b e n e a th w ill b e o p e n in g to v isitin g d e sc e n d a n ts w ith g re a te r a n d g re a te r fre q u e n c y .

© 2 0 0 1 Ne w Y o rk Ma rb le Ce m e te ry , In c . 1 0 3 7 5 Ma c k a ll Ro a d St.. L e o n a rd , MD 2 0 6 8 5 -2 49 0 41 0 -5 8 6 -1 3 2 1 a w b @ c h e sa p e a k e .n e t Th e Ce m e te ry is a Se c . 5 0 1 (c ) (1 3 ) re g iste re d 3 0 % c h a rity .