The illustration pictured here, “View from Battle Hill, Green-Wood Cemetery,” was drawn and engraved by James Smillie (1807-1885) for Green-Wood historian Nehemiah Cleaveland’s 1847 guide, Green-Wood Illustrated. For the book, Smillie executed a series of engravings capturing the vast serene landscape of Green-Wood in its early years. At that time, before Central Park or Prospect Park were established, the beautiful hills and dells of the cemetery served as an ideal setting for a family day out.

The Angel of the Waters (1873), commonly referred to simply as the Bethesda Fountain, was one of the first large-scale public sculptures by a female artist. Green-Wood resident Emma Stebbins (1815-1882) designed the sculpture for Bethesda Terrace in New York City’s Central Park. Unveiled in 1873, the sculpture depicts the biblical story of an angel who came upon the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, stirring the water and imbuing it with healing powers.

During the first half of the nineteenth century it was almost unheard of for a woman to practice medicine, but pioneering female doctor Clemence Lozier (1813-1888) played a major role in changing that. Not only did she excel in the fields of obstetrics and general surgery, she also encouraged other women to pursue medicine by founding the New York Medical College and Hospital for Women in 1863. Lozier further helped to make basic medical knowledge accessible to the average woman, hosting lectures in her own home and writing health books specifically for women.

About 50 miles north of New York City, on Pollepel Island in the Hudson River, stand the ruins of what resembles a huge castle. This is what remains of Bannerman’s Island Arsenal, a massive storage facility built by Francis Bannerman VI (1851-1918). A dealer and collector of military goods, Bannerman purchased the island in 1900 as a secure place to store his merchandise. He proceeded to build the world’s largest private arsenal, modeled in the style of a Scottish castle. The arsenal is pictured on the cover of this 1945 catalog, published by Francis Bannerman’s sons, who inherited the business after his death.

When the steamship General Slocum caught fire in the East River of New York City on June 15, 1904, it claimed more lives than any other disaster in New York City history. An estimated 1,021 of the 1,342 people on board died, largely resulting from inaccessible and ineffective safety equipment. In the aftermath of the General Slocum Steamship Disaster, federal and state regulations were enacted to improve the emergency equipment on passenger ships. Forty-six identified victims of the disaster are buried in Green-Wood Cemetery.

Brooklyn native Paul Jabara (1948-1992) was the songwriter behind some of the most iconic songs of the disco era. Jabara wrote the hit “Last Dance” performed by Donna Summer for the 1978 film “Thank God It’s Friday,” earning him both a Grammy for Best R&B song and an Oscar for Best Original Song. He also co-wrote The Weather Girls hit “It’s Raining Men.”

Sisters Alice Cary (1820-1871) and Phoebe Cary (1824-1871) were prolific poets of the mid-nineteenth century. Born in rural Ohio, ambition brought them to New York City, where they became influential figures in the literary community. Each published volumes of their own work and contributed regularly to national periodicals. The sisters hosted a popular salon in their New York City home in which intellectuals, artists and social reformers of the day would gather. Pictured here is a posthumously published volume of their poetry, The Last Poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary, released in 1873.