Cemetery belt called a huge area in Queens, occupied by the cemetery. They then closely pressed against each other, interspersed with residential streets quarter Glendale. Twenty-nine cemeteries (Jewish 14, 4 Catholic, Protestant 3 and 8 points) occupy so much space that can be seen from space. There are millions of graves - the dead in Queens at least three times more than the living.

Such an accumulation of cemeteries came here not by chance. By the middle of the XIX century Manhattan cemeteries were overflowing. A series of cholera outbreaks to convince the public in theory, on which ground water infected by dead bodies. As a result, New York City Act was passed "On the state of rural cemeteries" Entering toll burial. Prior to that, the dead were buried either in the churchyard or on family farms. Now, non-profit organizations were allowed to buy and sell land plots for burial. And in 1852, New York City Council passed a law already explicitly prohibits burying the city.

The Board of Trustees of the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Patrick first gained ground in Queens, and in 1848 the first deceased was buried in the cemetery Calvary (it is now - one of the oldest in the United States). By 1852 there was already in about 50 funerals a day - half of them children of the poor Irish to seven years. Gradually they began to open the Protestant, Jewish and interfaith cemetery. In the case entered and land speculators are buying up cheap farmland, then to resell them at a place of rest, but still the main cemetery were discovered by church organizations.

Now the times are often visited the cemetery to find a particular grave historical person. While many cemeteries remain in effect, most of the graves were laid before the mid XX century. On the headstone smashed forgotten or hitherto known names - actors, athletes, the military, politicians, gangsters. No wonder Francis Coppola filmed the scene funeral of Vito Corleone in "The Godfather" is the old cemetery Calvary. In the picture flickers silhouette mausoleum Johnston - huge buildings several stories high, dominating the rows of graves.

People often visit the Jewish cemetery Mount Carmel - there is a modest black monument is a world-renowned writer Sholem Aleichem. For the family grave infamous actress Mae West in the Cypress Hills Cemetery is also always come fans. At the cemetery gravestones at St. Michael "King of Ragtime" Scott Joplin concert is held every year in his honor. And in the semi-abandoned Jewish cemetery Machpelah very popular tomb of the famous magician Harry Houdini. Login Cypress Hills Street is not always open, but to a portion of the family Houdini (located just outside the entrance) cleverly sneak his fans. The Great Magician died in 1926 on Halloween, and since then, every October 31 someone will come to the elegant marble tombstones. Leave the cards there, pumpkin stones. Kneeling female figure - of the headstone, it did not steal, but a bust Houdini abducted more than once.