Bayside Cemetery
One of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in the city, it is now overgrown with an urban forest.
Bayside Cemetery Allison Meier/Atlas Obscura (Allison Meier)
Established in the mid-19th century in Ozone Park, Bayside Cemetery was once a stately burial ground for New York’s Jewish community before it fell into disrepair.
Now an urban forest encloses one section of the cemetery and other parts are neglected, with vandalism having been a serious problem in recent decades, including the desecration of remains and destruction of mausoleums. However, volunteers are working to preserve and restore the historic cemetery, which has a quiet, rural beauty in the shadow of the rumbling A train tracks, where foliage flourishes and lizards crawl over the solemn tombstones.
Update as of April 2020: The cemetery is currently closed to visitors.
Stay in Touch!
Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Follow Us on Instagram
No Thanks
Visit AtlasObscura.com
No purchase necessary. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2021. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Offer subject to change without notice. See contest rules for full details.
Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook