Coney Island is an iconic symbol of turn-of-the-century amusement in New York City, but many other parks vied for the chance to thrill the residents of the five boroughs. The wooden coasters of Fort George in Manhattan, the beer gardens and circus atmosphere at North Beach in Queens, and the blasting fireworks displays at Starlight Amusement Park in the Bronx were just a few of the venues that entertained millions each year. The second half of the century saw the disappearance of every one of these parks, culminating with the demise of Rockaways’ Playland in Queens and Freedomland in the Bronx, the largest amusement park in the world. Wes and Barbara Gottlock, authors of a book on the subject, will celebrate these entrepreneurial wonders and discuss the reasons for their declines, complete with wonderful and haunting images of heydays and destruction.

Our spectacular new exhibition, "William F. Mangels: Amusing the Masses on Coney Island and Beyond," is now showing in Green-Wood's Historic Chapel. It celebrates William F. Mangels, who from 1900 to 1925 was the largest manufacturer of amusement park rides, carousels, and shooting galleries in America.

Join Jeff Richman, Green-Wood historian and exhibition curator, for a behind-the-scenes look at how this exhibition evolved - the collectors, museums, artists, and archives that joined forces make this unique exhibition -- featuring an antique carousel horse, a one-ton shooting gallery, Whip cars, a Kiddie fire engine, Speed Boat, and Pony Cart, as well as video and slide shows- a reality.

Preceding the curator's tour, Jeff will lead a Coney Island- themed trolley tour of Green-Wood, including a visit to the Mangels's family lot, Steeplechase's George Tilyou, Coney Island restauranteur and inventor of the hot dog Charles Feltman, and the "Czar of Coney Island," Boss John McKane.

History is littered with random enthusiasms that sweep the culture, flare for a few months or years, and then recede into the ocean of our past. The idle rich of the Victorian Era were among the first to truly embrace the notion of pop culture faddishness, and Green-Wood is home to many of the key characters in these strange and fascinating trends. From arsenic complexion cream and electric corsets, to séances and spirit photography, the Victorians missed no opportunity to jump on the latest bandwagon of wacky and sometimes outrageously dangerous medical, fashionable and spiritual fads. On this tour, you will learn about such complex and compelling figures as Washington Irving Bishop, one of the great showmen and mentalists; Anne Leah Fox, the stage mother behind the most successful psychic hoax of the era; William Wilson, the proprietor of a company that purported to cure ailments with electric and magnetic corsets, and many more. You will also explore the curious lengths to which Victorian women went to achieve ultra-white skin, and the strange and dangerous obsession with green dye in the fashions of the day.

There are few places more atmospheric than a cemetery at dusk – and Green-Wood is top notch when it comes to beauty and atmosphere. So take a walk on the wild side during this special event that will lead you on a twilight tour of the expansive grounds. As the sun sets on 478 spectacular acres, you’ll weave through stunning landscapes and visit the graves of fascinating figures in New York and American culture.

After the walking tour, enjoy a drink amidst the art and greenery. The catacombs will be open for the reception, so you can wander by torchlight, sip your drink, and visit the opulent indoor resting places of Green-Wood.

Luigi Del Bianco was an Italian immigrant who spent much of his life carving headstones and monuments for cemeteries in the Port Chester, NY area. But this dapper, friendly man held another role, too – as the chief carver at Mount Rushmore, Del Bianco played a hugely significant role in bringing life to one of the most famous American monuments. And yet his contribution goes largely unsung to this day. Join Lou Del Bianco, Luigi’s grandson, for this talk on the fascinating history, artistry, and life of Luigi. Using original photos and personal correspondence between Luigi and Rushmore designer Gutzon Borglum, Lou will demonstrate just how instrumental Luigi’s involvement was in the iconic mountainside sculpture. After the talk, a trolley tour will visit stops in Green-Wood showing other Italian sculpture – including the Angel of Death, carved by Gutzon Borglum’s brother, Solon.

Serene, beautiful Green-Wood is the final resting place for many victims — and perpetrators — of violence. Join expert tour guide Ruth Edebohls to hear some of their fascinating stories. The Morro Castle disaster and possible murder of her captain, the sinking of the steamship Arctic, the Malbone Street train crash, a suicide on the grave of a beloved wife, the arsenic and clam chowder murder, Titanic survivors and the Brooklyn Theatre fire are just some of the tragic tales you’ll hear amidst a landscape of late fall beauty.