The landmark status of a historic Colonial-era burial ground in Fresh Meadows has been approved by the City Council.
The council voted overwhelmingly to accept Brinckerhoff Cemetery’s landmark designation on December 10 after the 18th century site was approved for official landmark status by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in August.
“With the landmarking of the Brinckerhoff cemetery, an irreplaceable part of Queens’ history will be preserved in perpetuity,” said Councilmember James Gennaro. “The countless hours that I and many others dedicated to this landmarking have been a wonderful investment that will yield historic and educational dividends for the people of Queens for generations to come.”
Local leaders and preservationists in the neighborhood fought through endless legal wrangling for more than a decade to save the 182nd Street site, Gennaro said.
The vote preserves and protects the final resting place for roughly 80 of the borough’s earliest and most prominent settlers from development.
“Queens is rich with historical treasures dating back to the Dutch era, from the Flushing Remonstrance and the Bowne House to Brinckerhoff Cemetery,” said Councilmember Dan Halloran. “It’s important to preserve the historical legacy of the borough.”
The next step, Gennaro said, is to find a nonprofit group capable of purchasing and maintaining the property.
According to the LPC, 13 cemeteries in the city have been designated as landmarks, including seven in Queens.
