The Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation of The Evergreens Cemetery. The Evergreens is a valuable historical and cultural resource and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our historic and beautiful rolling landscape is credited to Andrew Jackson Downing, who worked in conjunction with Alexander Jackson Davis; Calvert Vaux was another famous landscape architect involved with the cemetery.   

 

The  preservation and restoration of gravestones and monuments is a key component of the Foundation’s mission. Projects include restoring the Actors’ Fund Plot, the Seamen’s Monument, and the Cedar Vale section where African-American Civil War soldiers (from 20th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops formed by the Union League Club) are interred.

 

The Foundation has especially focused on restoring the damage that Hurricane Sandy caused in fall 2012. In 2015 The Evergreens was the recipient of major state grants from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to fund a Cultural Landscape Report and the restoration of grounds damaged and trees destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. In addition, thanks in part to the Emergency Fund of The New York Landmarks Conservancy, and to the generosity of our individual donors, monuments in our historic landscape have been restored.

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A significant focus of the Foundation is maintaining the beautiful historic tree canopy of the Evergreens. Within the grounds thousands of exceptional trees provide shade and tranquility to visitors while fighting pollution and urban heat island effect. The Foundation is the grateful recipient of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s  Urban and Community Forestry grants to help maintain the trees. All plantings and maintenance are done with the advice of professional arborists and include tree selections that  reflect best practices for pest and disease avoidance and control as well as climate change.

 

In addition, the Foundation is committed to bringing visitors in to explore the cemetery’s fascinating history through a wide variety of public programs. Our serene grounds provide an ideal respite from the chaos of the city, and we offer birdwatching tours, tree walks, stargazing, yoga and meditation classes. Visitors can explore the cemetery and its history and notable residents through historical walking tours, as well as through tours focused on the art and architecture of the cemetery. We also host holiday events for children in our community and their families.