New York/LES

New York Marble Cemetery (digital)

One of the oldest cemeteries in the city lies hidden within the block bounded by the Bowery, East 3rd, East 2nd, and Second Avenue. We walked by last Sunday, and the gate was open, so we went in. There are no traditional graves or headstones. Under the grass are vaults, and the names of the deceased are on stone tablets set in the walls of the cemetery. In many places the walls are crumbling, and despite the landmark status of the site, it remains a vulnerable piece of Lower East Side history.