In honor of Black History Month, Green-Wood presents a special trolley tour with Historian Jeff Richman.

Though segregation has certainly been an issue in the city, Brooklyn and New York City also have long histories of diversity and civil rights activism. This trolley tour will examine the life and accomplishments of many prominent black New Yorkers, as well as several abolitionists also working for freedom in America.

19th-century Irish immigration contributed immeasurably to the rich tapestry of American culture. Green-Wood has its share of the illustrious sons and daughters of Eire, as well as many of the unsung everyday men and women. Expert guide Ruth Edebohls will visit notable Irish at Green-Wood, including copper magnate Marcus Daly; India Ink manufacturer and American patriot Charles Higgins; one-armed Civil War General Thomas Sweeney (who retired from the U.S. military but went on to lead the Fenian invasion of Canada); Irish patriot Wolfe Tone’s widow and son; actress and mistress of the mighty, Lola Montez, and much more.

Music may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Green-Wood, but among its 560,000 permanent residents are many prolific and successful composers, singers, and musicians. On this tour, we’ll celebrate those individuals in the most fitting way possible – by learning about and listening to some of their greatest hits. Join musical guide Marge Raymond on a tour of Green-Wood residents including Leonard Bernstein, Louis Morreau Gottschalk, Paul Jabara, Fred Ebb, and more. You’ll learn about their contributions to music history, and enjoy their famous songs, too. Whether you identify as mezzo-soprano, or just love to sing in the shower, this tour will be full of musical fun.

Batter up! To ring in the 2015 season, we’ll welcome Tom Gilbert, member of the Society for Baseball Research (SABR – the folks who brought you “Moneyball”) and author of a new book on baseball’s formative years, for a tour of the fascinating ball-playing pioneers interred at Green-Wood.

With Tom and Green-Wood Historian Jeff Richman, you’ll visit the monuments and markers of Henry Chadwick, the Father of Baseball, who invented the game’s scoring system; James Creighton, baseball’s first national star; Charles Ebbets, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers; the great hitter Charlie Smith; and many others who played a role in making baseball America’s National Pastime.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Landmarks Law with a tour celebrating Green-Wood’s connections to beloved NYC landmarks. With expert tour guide Matt Postal, study designated landmarks within Green-Wood’s own 478 acres, like Richard Upjohn and Son’s magnificent gothic archway (celebrating its 150th birthday this year), as well as several sites with landmark connections – like a 1911 chapel by Warren and Wetmore; the monuments of architects including Gamaliel King (Brooklyn Borough Hall), James Renwick (St. Patrick’s Cathedral), and James McComb (Gracie Mansion, City Hall); a mausoleum designed by the renowned Stanford White, and more.

Green-Wood’s 478 acres of rolling hills, tree coverage, glacial ponds and natural grasses are the perfect place to celebrate nature, study ecology, and learn about the rich renewal resources right at our feet. “Wildman” Steve Brill has been using urban green space to teach New Yorkers about edible wild plants for 33 years, and his walk through Green-Wood will use our historic landscape to teach adults and kids alike about safe foraging practices, and which delicious foods are ripe for the picking.

For the first time, we’re opening Green-Wood’s gates afterhours for an exclusive workshop in night photography. Gabriel Biderman, author of Night Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots, and visual artist and educator Matt Hill will lead you in this hands-on workshop dedicated to capturing the essence of Green-Wood art and architecture at night. Long exposures and light painting will be the focus (so a tripod, cable release, and SLR camera are mandatory). A comfort shooting in manual and bulb mode is also recommended.

Green-Wood is home to nearly 8,000 trees, and boasts one of the largest collections of mature trees in the city. On this walk, Green-Wood’s 478 acres will be your classroom as you stroll the grounds with an expert Green-Wood guide, and learn to identify trees based on their leaves, bark, roots, and form. Enjoy a spring day in nature and learn something, too!

Do not attempt to adjust your dials – our spring colors really are that vibrant! Green-Wood’s Superintendent of Grounds and resident expert in all things green (and pink, yellow, white and purple), Art Presson will dazzle you with the extraordinary beauty of the spring blooms at Green-Wood. Whether you’re the kind of person who sees white petals and says “that’s a Cornus florida flowering dogwood!” or you’re more the “that’s pretty—I wonder what it’s called” kind of person, this tour will be a visual extravaganza. With over 8,000 trees across 478 acres, Green-Wood is one of the most beautiful sites in all of New York City.