Perhaps you know Green-Wood Cemetery, a 478-acre expanse of rolling, reposeful, halcyon loveliness nestled in the heart of Brooklyn, as the place of rest for figures of certain historical import, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein, Bill “The Butcher” Poole, Samuel Morse and William M. “Boss” Tweed. Or maybe you know it as a particularly peaceful place to stroll around on circuitous roads and pathways until you find your way up to the grounds’ higher elevations, from which you can take in wonderful views of New York City and its surrounding waters. Did you know, though, that among Green-Wood’s 560,000 residents are over 5,000 Civil War veterans, including not only revered generals, but also Brooklyn’s first fallen soldier in the Civil War, the 12-year-old “Little Drummer Boy” Clarence MacKenzie? These latter facts are what make Green-Wood such a perfect setting for To Bid You All Good Bye, an exhibition of photographs, letters and other forms of memorabilia that, after 13 years of research and preparation, is now on view in observance of the Sesquicentennial of the end of the Civil War. We spoke with Richard J. Moylan, the President of Green-Wood, and Jeff Richman, Green-Wood’s Historian, to find out more about how this exhibit came to be and what visitors can expect.
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