The Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum is a private family burial site within the
Moravian Cemetery
The Moravian Cemetery is a cemetery in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City.
Location
Located at 2205 Richmond Road, the Moravian Cemetery is the largest and oldest active cemetery on Staten Island, having opened in 1740. T ...
in the
New Dorp
New Dorp is a neighborhood on the East Shore of Staten Island, New York City, United States. New Dorp is bounded by Mill Road on the southeast, Tysens Lane on the southwest, Amboy and Richmond Roads on the northwest, and Bancroft Avenue on the n ...
neighborhood of
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. It was designed by
Richard Morris Hunt
Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 β July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of American architecture. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 entrance faΓ ...
and
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the USA. Olmsted was famous for co- ...
in the late 19th century, when the
Vanderbilt family
The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the Gilded Age. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthr ...
was the wealthiest in America.
Location
The Vanderbilt Family Cemetery and Mausoleum is on the eastern slope of
Todt Hill
Todt Hill ( ) is a hill formed of serpentine rock on Staten Island, New York. It is the highest natural point in the five boroughs of New York City and the highest elevation on the entire Atlantic coastal plain from Florida to Cape Cod. The summi ...
,
inside the Moravian Cemetery located at 2205
Richmond Road. The cemetery opened in 1740 and is the largest and oldest active cemetery on Staten Island.
Todt Hill is the highest natural point on the Eastern Seaboard between Cape Cod and Florida, rising to .
History
In 1865,
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 β January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into lead ...
gave the Moravian Church . Three years later, he donated an additional , which is the majority of the Moravian Cemetery and the site of the private Vanderbilt plot. Later, his son
William Henry Vanderbilt
William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 β December 8, 1885) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. Vanderbi ...
gave a further and constructed the residence for the cemetery superintendent. William commissioned the family mausoleum, and was the richest man in America when he died in December 1885.
Mausoleum
The Vanderbilt mausoleum, designed by Richard Morris Hunt and constructed in 1885β1886,
is part of the family's private section within the cemetery. The mausoleum is a replica of a Romanesque church in
Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. The landscaped grounds around the mausoleum were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Vanderbilt section is not open to the public. Interment within the mausoleum was reserved to those with the Vanderbilt name, including sons, their wives, and unmarried daughters. It houses the remains of all four of William and Maria's sons and three of their wives.
The mausoleum was made a
New York City designated landmark
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
in 2016.
The
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and cu ...
's chair said at the time: "The Vanderbilt Mausoleum is an extraordinary monument to America's Gilded Age".
In June 2021, the mausoleum was nominated for inclusion on the
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
and
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
It was added to the NRHP on July 30, 2021.
Vanderbilt Cemetery Association
The nonprofit Vanderbilt Cemetery Association was created in 2010 by members of the Vanderbilt family to help preserve and protect the property.
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III (born December 20, 1949) is a retired public relations executive. Vanderbilt was heavily involved with bringing the Grammys back to New York and the tall ships to New York for the 500th anniversary of Columbus discover ...
is chairman.
Notable burials
Notable burials in the Vanderbilt family's private section within the cemetery include:
*
Cornelius Vanderbilt
Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 β January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping. After working with his father's business, Vanderbilt worked his way into lead ...
(1794β1877), railroad and shipping tycoon.
*
William Henry Vanderbilt
William Henry Vanderbilt (May 8, 1821 β December 8, 1885) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the eldest son of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, an heir to his fortune and a prominent member of the Vanderbilt family. Vanderbi ...
(1821β1885), son of Cornelius.
* Cornelius van Derbilt (1764β1832), father of Cornelius.
* Phebe van Derbilt (nΓ©e Hand) (1767β1854), mother of Cornelius.
* Sophia Johnson Vanderbilt (1795β1868), first wife of Cornelius.
*
Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt
Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt (January 18, 1839 β May 4, 1885) was an American socialite and philanthropist. During the American Civil War, she was a strong supporter of the Confederate States of America. After the war, she lived in New Yo ...
(1839β1885), second wife of Cornelius.
* George Washington Vanderbilt (1832β1836).
* George Washington Vanderbilt (1839β1863).
*
George Washington Vanderbilt II
George Washington Vanderbilt II (November 14, 1862 β March 6, 1914) was an art collector and member of the prominent Vanderbilt family, which amassed a huge fortune through steamboats, railroads, and various business enterprises. He commission ...
(1862β1914), son of William.
* Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt (1821β1896), wife of William.
* Frances Lavinia Vanderbilt (1829β1868).
*
Gloria Vanderbilt
Gloria Laura Vanderbilt (February 20, 1924 β June 17, 2019) was an American artist, author, actress, fashion designer, heiress, and socialite.
During the 1930s, she was the subject of a high-profile child custody trial in which her mother ...
(1924β2019), daughter of Reginald, wife of Wyatt Emory Cooper.
*
Wyatt Emory Cooper
Wyatt Emory Cooper (September 1, 1927 β January 5, 1978) was an American author, screenwriter, and actor. He was the fourth husband of Vanderbilt family heiress and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt and the father of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. (1927β1978), American author, screenwriter, actor, and fourth husband of Gloria Vanderbilt.
* Carter Vanderbilt Cooper (1965β1988), son of Gloria Vanderbilt and Wyatt Cooper, older brother of
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator from the Vanderbilt family. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show ''Anderson Cooper 360Β°''. In addition to his duties at C ...
.
*
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (1912β1999), society scion and racetrack/racehorse owner.
*
Cornelius Vanderbilt II
Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (November 27, 1843 β September 12, 1899) was an American socialite
and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family.
Noted forebears
He was the favorite grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbil ...
(1843β1899), son of William.
*
Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt
Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt (January 14, 1880 β September 4, 1925) was a member of the Vanderbilt family. He was the father of Gloria Vanderbilt and maternal grandfather of Anderson Cooper. An avid equestrian, Vanderbilt was the founder and pr ...
(1880β1925), millionaire, equestrian, gambler, son of Cornelius II.
See also
*
List of United States cemeteries
This is a list of cemeteries in the United States. The list includes both active and historic sites, and does not include pet cemetery, pet cemeteries. At the end of the list by states, cemeteries in territories of the United States are included. ...
*
List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Staten Island
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), formed in 1965, is the New York City governmental commission that administers the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. Since its founding, it has designated over a thousand landmarks, class ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Staten Island
List of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Richmond County, New York.
This is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Staten Island, or in other words i ...
References
{{Portal bar, Architecture, NRHP, New York City
Cemeteries in Staten Island
Vanderbilt family
Rural cemeteries
New Dorp, Staten Island
New York City Designated Landmarks in Staten Island
Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in New York City