Whispers from the past echo through Mount Olivet Cemetery. This sprawling 71-acre expanse in Maspeth Queens has been a resting place for nearly 200 years. It’s a captivating blend of history and quiet beauty.
Established in 1850 under New York’s Rural Cemetery Act Mount Olivet initially catered to Episcopalians. But that changed. By 1851 its doors opened to all faiths a welcoming embrace reflected in its diverse population. The cemetery’s land was pieced together. Initially 42 acres were acquired from George Fash. Then in 1878 another 16 acres were added from the estate of James Waterbury.
Mount Olivet’s story is one of many interwoven narratives. Civil War veterans found their final resting place here. A striking monument stands as a testament to their service. The Robert J. Marks Post No 560 Grand Army of the Republic Lot features a 12-foot tall granite statue of a Union soldier. Among those buried there is Jeromus Rapelye a founding member known for his dedication to decorating the graves of fallen comrades.
The cemetery is also a multicultural tapestry. The Japanese Mutual Aid Society established a plot in 1912. It is the city’s oldest Japanese burial ground. An annual Bosankai ceremony honors the Japanese immigrants who found their final rest here.
Members of aristocratic Russian families also found solace in Mount Olivet. The Russian Orthodox Church even built a chapel. Prince Georges Vasili Matchabelli a descendant of the Georgian royal house and Helena Rubinstein the famed cosmetics magnate rest here.
Not all stories are as serene. The infamous gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond is buried in an unmarked grave. His final resting place a secret even to this day. Mount Olivet also holds the remains of activists killed during labor and civil rights protests in the 1930s. Their graves marked with symbols of the International Labor Defense.
Today Mount Olivet Cemetery stands as a poignant reminder of lives lived and lost. A silent testament to the rich diverse history of New York City. It is a place of reflection a place of remembrance a place of peace. Take a moment. Let the echoes of the past wash over you.