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Ferncliff Cemetery is a non-sectarian cemetery organized as a corporation on February 26, 1902. It's earliest burial on records is that of John Witt on Sep 2, 1902. Ferncliff is home to several famous people including Malcolm X, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Oscar Hammerstein, Thelonious Monk, Ed Sullivan, among others.
Ferncliff Cemetery is home to three mausoleums: " Ferncliff Mausoleum", aka "The Cathedral of Memories", constructed in 1928, Shrine of Memories constructed in 1956, and Rosewood constructed in 1999.
Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum is a cemetery in Greenburgh, New York, United States, about 25 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. It was founded in 1902, and is non-sectarian. Ferncliff has columbariums, a crematory, a small chapel, and a main office located in the rear of the main building.
Mausoleums
Ferncliff Cemetery has three community mausoleums that offer what The New York Times has described as "lavish burial spaces". This cemetery includes columbariums. As of 2001, a standard crypt space in the mausoleums was priced at $15,000. The highest-priced spaces were private burial rooms with bronze gates, crystal chandeliers, and stained-glass windows, priced at $280,000.
Ferncliff
The Ferncliff Mausoleum, aka "The Cathedral of Memories", is the cemetery's oldest mausoleum, constructed in 1928. It has classic architecture, but the corridors are dark without glass panes to admit natural light. Ed Sullivan and Joan Crawford are two of the most famous interments in the main mausoleum. Judy Garland was interred here from her death in 1969 until 2017 when her family moved her remains to Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Shrine of Memories
The Shrine of Memories is Ferncliff's second mausoleum and was constructed in 1956. "Shrine of Memories" is a more contemporary structure than "Ferncliff Mausoleum". It has many panes of glass to admit natural light, and there is a painting of Christopher Columbus in the main hall of the building. Basil Rathbone is one of the most famous interments in "Shrine of Memories".
Rosewood
Rosewood is Ferncliff's most recently completed community mausoleum, having been constructed in 1999. Joseph J. Mangan was the architect of Rosewood. Singer Aaliyah and her father Michael Haughton have a private room in Rosewood. Cab Calloway is interred with his wife Zulme "Nuffie".
Ground burials
The cemetery is also known for its in-ground burials in sections located in front of the mausoleums. Ferncliff is one of the very few cemeteries that does not permit upright headstones in its outdoor plots. All outdoor grave markers are flush with the ground. This feature facilitates maintenance of the cemetery grounds. However, there are several upright headstones that were placed before this policy was instituted. Malcolm X and the most famous ground burials, in plot Pinewood B.
This cemetery is located on 280-284 Secor Road, Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York.
People whose remains were cremated and inurned at Ferncliff, but some people whose ashes were taken somewhere else include:
- Alan Freed (1921–1965), radio DJ known as "The Father of Rock & Roll". His ashes were moved to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Jim Henson (1936–1990), Muppets creator. His ashes were scattered at his Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranch.
- John Lennon (1940–1980), singer and songwriter (The Beatles)
- Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979), Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States. His ashes were scattered on his estate.
- Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), scientist of electrotechnics. His ashes were placed in the Nikola Tesla Museum, Belgrade.