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The Most Holy Trinity Church Cemetery, Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York

Strikingly unusual and remarkably quiet, the German Catholic Most Holy Trinity Cemetery is tucked away in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, right on the border with Queens, and along the path of the L train. Dating back to 1851, its odd array of simple wooden and hollow metal grave markers is a result of the parish’s attempt to create and maintain a sense of egalitarianism among its parishioners. By strictly forbidding the installation of stone grave markers, which often exposed vast socioeconomic differences through the costly materials, massive size, and elaborate carvings so often favored by the wealthy, the parish church instead offered parishioners a modest selection of monuments fabricated from metal or wood, which could then be painted in certain colors. The end result is a visually arresting landscape of colorfully painted grave markers in a delightful array of shapes and sizes, and in various states of decay and restoration.

Most Holy Trinity Cemetery is located in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, off the bumpy, Belgian block-paved Central Avenue, about one block from the ‘L Line’ Wilson Avenue Station.

Simply constructed of hollow galvanized metal with stamped lettering, the unusual metal markers of Most Holy Trinity Cemetery all appear to have been fabricated by the same maker/metal shop…possibly even onsite. Note the razor wire fencing in the background, marking the border between Most Holy Trinity Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery, also the border between Brooklyn and Queens.

This beautifully bright array of hollow, fabricated metal grave markers typifies the block-shape style of most monuments in Most Holy Trinity cemetery. Many of the markers in this cemetery are painted in a limited selection of yellow, gray, green, brown, white, or red. Recently refurbished and newer markers are often painted teal.

In stark contrast to the humble monuments of Most Holy Trinity Cemetery is the artistic and architectural splendor of Green-Wood Cemetery (also in Brooklyn), which was founded in 1838, a mere thirteen years before Most Holy Trinity Cemetery. With its massively grand mausoleums and intricately carved statuary, the monuments of Green-Wood Cemetery, clearly delineate wealth from poverty and are extreme examples of what the Most Holy Trinity Church parish was seeking to avoid. I took this photo on the same day as our Most Holy Trinity Cemetery visit, just as the sun was setting and the fortress-like gates were soon to be locked shut for the night.

While far less splendid than nearby Green-Wood Cemetery, the modest simplicity of Most Holy Trinity Cemetery, with its uniform array of unusual painted metal markers, makes for a very different, yet equally arresting visual landscape.

While the vast majority of grave markers at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery are block or cross-shaped, hollow, galvanized metal, there are a surprising number of exceptions. For example, this simple, solid wrought iron crucifix marker standing among the slightly more elaborate hollow metal markers.

As evidenced by the remnants of wood posts, there were apparently many more wooden markers at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery. Few survived nearly as long as their sturdier metal counterparts. This simply rendered wooden cross with stamped metal letters is one of the survivors.

Lightweight and likely vulnerable to weather, careless lawn mowers, and possibly vandalism, many markers are dented, crumbled, or even toppled over. The state of arrested decay evidenced by so many of the markers in Most Holy Trinity Cemetery inadvertently creates a visually striking and highly intriguing landscape.

Despite the Most Holy Trinity Church’s efforts to diminish the signs of socioeconomic disparity among its parishioners, there nonetheless exists larger and more elaborately wrought markers, which seem to reveal the very disparity the parish sought to obscure.

Juxtaposed next to the simple gleaming white of a newer marker, the dented rustiness of the adjacent marker is imparted with a certain derelict beauty.

Store-bought mailbox letters on the simplest of wooden crosses amid somewhat more costly hollow metal monuments also reveal some level of disparity among the church’s parishioners.

Another simple wooden cross with what appears to be repurposed mailbox letters.

A metal workshop located on the cemetery grounds is apparently restoring old metal markers.

Newer and refurbished metal markers seemed to mostly be painted a uniform shade of teal blue.

Some newly refurbished and painted markers alongside the rusted ones awaiting their turn.

As evidenced by the activities at the on-site metal workshop, there appears to be an ongoing restoration effort of older deteriorated and/or damaged metal markers. Also, as previously mentioned, most new grave markers seem to be painted a uniform teal blue. Therefore, the window of opportunity to visit and experience this unique cemetery, in all of it’s enchanting, colorful state of rusted, derelict decay, might be gradually closing.

With its intriguing array of hollow metal markers, in varying states of freshly painted versus rusted decay, the Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in Brooklyn is one of the most fascinating and memorable cemeteries we have ever encountered. Despite its location on the outskirts of Brooklyn, the cemetery is quiet and somewhat secluded. A stroll through its lovely 23-acre grounds, contemplating the unintentionally intriguing collection of monuments, one can’t help but feel the very spirit of humble humility that the church parish was trying to convey–which makes this an especially worthwhile destination to reset and remind us all of that ultimate and inevitable equalizer. Momento mori…remember, you too shall die.

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All text written by Stacey. All photos captured by Kevin and Stacey except as noted.

Be sure to check out all of our other travel stories from On the Road at Catbirdlife.com, including our ongoing series, Fascinating Cemetery Haunts. Click here to subscribe or you may follow us on Instagram or Twitter.

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