The Saved In Time Program

Saved in Time is a direct appeal to philanthropic individuals, organizations and companies to join The Green-Wood Historic Fund in conserving and restoring a selection of our endangered monuments, and to aid us in our obligation to preserve the artistic legacy of the past.

To learn more about “adopting” a specific monument or contributing to the Saved in Time program, please contact us online or call our main office at 718-210-3080 to request a Saved in Time booklet. You can also make an online donation today.

Some of Green-Wood’s monuments are older than the cemetery itself. Early works were often carved in marble or brownstone, two materials that are damaged by acid rain in the urban environment and the stressful coastal weather conditions of Green-Wood. Even durable granite and bronze are affected by natural forces, and the occasional act of vandalism can devastate any material. Fortunately art and science, which once were joined to create our historic monuments, come together again in modern times to offer respite to ailing outdoor works. In the hands of skilled and sensitive conservators, sculptors and architects, old and new techniques may be used to clean and stabilize deteriorated stone, protect metals, and recreate lost components, in order to render monuments whole and sound.

Saved in Time’s initial program of 20 monuments represents a variety of subject matter and materials, design and physical need that is reflective of the conservation issues existing throughout the cemetery. Electing to intervene in the process of their progressive deterioration raises sensitive curatorial choices, while seeking to provide active case studies for evaluation, and the opportunity to refine technical methodologies as the program moves forward. We have decided that not to act would be unconscionable. The alternative is to have statues and gravestones continue to corrode and disintegrate into unrecognizable condition, to see names and commemorative inscriptions become illegible, and for stones to collapse or sink into the ground. Unfortunately, this has been the fate of some of the oldest and most vulnerable objects in the collection.

Completed Projects

Since its inception in 2002, generous donations to Saved in Time have funded the stabilization and conservation of several of the cemetery’s most critically deteriorating monuments, including the Stewart Family Mausoleum by architect Stanford White, whose dislodged stonework has been reset, and two bronze angel sculptures on the Valentine and Weber Memorials, which were treated to control metal corrosion and enhance their appearance.

Follow the links below for more about other completed projects, the restoration originally needed, and photos of the restored monument. Continue to scroll down to learn more about projects still in need of your support.

Ongoing Projects

While some monuments have been “saved in time,” there are still many others in need of restoration before they deteriorate and age further. Your support is essential in funding the restoration of the monuments highlighted in this section, including the Saved In Time featured restoration project: The Gottschalk Project.

To learn more about “adopting” a specific monument or contributing to the Saved in Time program, please contact us online or call our main office at 718-210-3080 to request a Saved in Time booklet. You can also make an online donation today.