As Hurricane Sandy tore through Brooklyn, the historic Green-Wood Cemetery was subjected to strong winds and harsh rain and, according to President Richard Moylan, suffered damage the likes of which he hasnt seen before.
The damage is very extensive, said Moylan. Ive been here for 40 years and this is the worst.
According to Moylan, there are over 100 downed trees, most of them large. Hundreds more are at risk of falling and dozens and dozens of the cemeteries famed historic monuments and graves have suffered heavy damage.
While crews are still out assessing the situation, Moylan believes more of the cemeterys graves and monuments — some of which are hundreds of years old — will inevitably have been damaged.
We will repair them as best as we can, Moylan said. He said that many statues would need to be reaffixed to their bases, and some would need to be cemented back together.
Crews have been working since yesterday to clear debris off the road and remove fallen or near fallen trees. Moylan expects it to take months and months to repair the cemetery fully. However the gates will most likely reopen to visitors on Friday, he said.