I initially came here at the start of my decades-long interest in historic cemeteries. I had already been to nearby Gate of Heaven and Kensico on my own, but had my father drive me to Ferncliff the 1st time because he was much more familiar with NYC and its outer environs than I was. What prompted that initial interest? Joan Crawford and Malcolm X. The cemetery was begun in 1927 and is a lovely expanse of property, with many trees and abundant foliage. Our 1st stop was the magnificent Cathedral of Memories community mausoleum, built in 1927. Several stories high, its hallways are somber yet elegant, having very much the art deco-ish feel and aura of NY as it must have been in the 20s and 30s, with polished marble corridors and stately private niches for the more affluent. Some of these private niches have gates, couches to sit on, and stained-glass windows. Joan Crawford wasn't a great actress, but she was always entertaining (and I had a kind of crush on her as a teenager, although, as my oldest friend has said, "When you were a teenager, if they were female and breathing, you had kind of a crush on them, whether it was Pat Nixon or Nastassja Kinski."), and, speaking as an adopted person, I found the memoir of her abused adopted daughter Christina mesmerizing (just to clarify, my own adoptive parents were decent, good-hearted, non-abusive people, so it's not like I could relate to the specific trauma of her abuse). Joan is buried in a simple vault with her Pepsi executive husband, Al Steele. Around the corner, is the modest monument to Ed Sullivan, sports columnist turned TV host who showcased the Beatles for America. In the past, Judy Garland was buried on the 2nd floor, and you could easily find her modest tomb by the flood of fresh flowers displayed in front of it every day. I was always a fan of "Wizard of Oz," but I hadn't realized that she was such a gay icon. From what I've read, she's no longer buried there, as her children arranged for her re-burial in CA. On 1 visit by myself, I wanted to find the tomb of Ona Munson, an actor in "Gone With The Wind" and a suicide. (On a side note, I watched the film as an adult and was horrified at its blithe sanction of marital rape, the Ku Klux Klan, and the idea that blacks are simpletons happiest as slaves on a plantation). I had to go down a stairway to the basement that was dark and a little unnerving. Munson is buried in a wall crypt, not far from Sherman Billingsley, former bootlegger and owner of the celebrated Stork Club. Malcolm X, a hero of mine, is buried in a simple grave on the other side of the cemetery. Not far away is the grave of Diana Sands, who was in the stage version of "Raisin in the Sun," and died tragically of cancer at 39 (she was also in a mediocre episode of the original "Outer Limits"). Nearby is the 2nd community mausoleum, known as the Shrine of Memories, built in 1959. I came here to find the crypt of distinguished actor Basil Rathbone, famous for Sherlock Holmes and "Son of Frankenstein" (and also considered one of the few genuinely nice people in Hollywood). A lot of other famous people are buried here, along with the not-so-famous. Ossie Davis, Whitney Young, Thelonious Monk, James Baldwin, Ruby Dee, Jerome Kern, Aaliyah Houghton, "Trigger Mike" Coppola. John Lennon and Christopher Reeve were cremated at Ferncliff, although they are not buried here. On a personal note, before my re-union with my genetic family, I always wondered if I had relatives or ancestors buried in these cemeteries that I visited. Turns out, my great uncle is buried in the Cathedral of Memories, in a private niche with his wife and infant daughter. I never met my maternal grandfather, but his is a fascinating story. He could trace his paternal lineage to the 1700s in New Hampshire; there's actually a book on Amazon outlining the family tree from the 1700s to 1917. My great grandfather was a doctor who lost everything due to alcoholism (or so I've been told), moved to Brooklyn, and married my great grandmother, an Irish Catholic. According to my birth mother, my great uncle aspired to lofty heights, marrying a wealthy WASP and becoming the mayor of a north NJ town. Their infant daughter died of a heart malady-- the heart health of my entire maternal line is not good. When my grandmother told me that he was buried in Ferncliff, I brought her up to visit along with my birth mother. We found the private niche, and my grandmother talked about the family history and the death of poor Jocelyn, who perished in 1940. As someone who never knew their ethnic history or ancestry or genealogy until adulthood, standing there with my birth mother, listening to my grandmother illustrating that history as only someone who was actually there can, was an unforgettable moment of enlightenment, clarity and understanding that I'll always cherish. A beautiful, historic place for reflection, mourning, remembering, and...in the case of someone like me ...discovering. read more

Such a beautiful, peaceful cemetery, with a lot of famous people buried/interred here. I specifically went to see civil rights icon Malcolm X, author and revolutionary James Baldwin, jazz great Thelonious Monk, and got the bonus of seeing Ossie and Ruby Dee Davis, another acting/civil rights power couple. I was stunned at how simple and humble the markers were. No big monuments. Somehow that made it better. More powerful. Aaliyah, John Lennon, Ed Sullivan, Judy Garland, and several other celebrities are buried or interred here. The crematorium and mausoleums are beautiful and peaceful. I stopped into one of the structures to ask for directions. It can be confusing if you haven't been before. The employee was so helpful! He drew directions on a map, told me exact locations, gave me advice on the best ways to get to each grave. He was also talkative, engaged, and we discussed some history. At first I was frustrated and had a hard time finding what I was looking for, even with the very clearly marked map. But for one, there is a digital directory in each building, which will provide QR codes that will give you direct directions to each site. The other thing it took me far too long to figure out (and I have three bachelor's degrees and two master's degrees and a medical degree haha)--is that when you're told someone is buried in plot # so and so, there really are literally small numbers engraved at the bottom of each marker. So as long as you know which section you're looking for (they are marked in the directory and on the map), you can easily find a particular person without wandering around aimlessly (which is what I did for the first 40 minutes or so). There are plenty of roadways so you can drive around and cover a lot of ground. Really enjoyed my time here. And the employees are so phenomenal. Thank you so much, Ferncliff! read more

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No longer up to Paar... Lawns are badly cut, lumpy and like a car going on potholes....clearly by careless workers...called the receptionist who was defensive and dismissive... To think that I would have to be buried here!!! More relatives should wrote in. I had a hard time locating my parents' graves because uncut grass has grown so thick leaving only part of their names appeared... Shame on Ferncliffe read more

Ferncliff Cemetery - Badly tended lawn at Ferncliffe cemetery Plus hostile receptionist - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

It is such a beautiful site to bury our beloved relative. The entire process was excellent, and Michael at Ferncliff was highly professional and thoughtful. He has made the final resting place a comforting one. Highly recommended! read more

Today I visited this location for the burial of my cousins husband Sekou Odinga.The cemetery was closed but they opened up for the service. There were more than enough staff to assist the family and community. One guy was kind of rude at first but he had a change of heart. Overall it was a good experience considering the circumstances. This is the grave site of Malcolm X El Hajj Malik Shabazz. read more

Ferncliff Cemetery - Imam Taleeb and Dequi Sadiki wife of the deceased Sekou Odinga. - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

Met my mom and sister for the first time at their grave site. The cemetery is lovely. Beautiful lawns, healthy trees and well planned landscapes. The staff were sweet and kind with my questions, and their directions. It's a beautiful plot of land. I look forward to visiting again when I'm on the coast. read more

This review is based on an incident that happened this weekend. My family brought a beautiful bouquet to my grandparent's grave Saturday, 6/19. The very next day, the flowers were missing. Within 24 hours, the bouquet was stolen, and all that was left were the Father's Day cards on the floor. When we spoke to the employee in the building, we were told, "what can you do, I'm one person, and this happens." The amount of money people pay to have their loved ones interred here and to have this daily desecration of people's graves is appalling. It is sad that scum stalks the hallways of this building and steals flowers meant for the dead. And it's even worse that Ferncliff cannot use the millions of dollars they make to invest in security or someone with genuine care to do their job. DO BETTER FOR WHAT YOU CHARGE HERE!! This review will be posted everywhere! read more

I actually do not know much about Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York but my wife, Marilyn, is now here as of October 2018. The grave diggers are nothing short of wonderful and respectful. read more

Ferncliff Cemetery - Marilyn and I were together 50 years in Greenwich Village. She died on October 13, 2018. These 3 workmen are nothing short of wonderful. - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me - Hartsdale, New York

2 stars because the bodies buried and or slipped into the mausoleum walls are still intact. (One hopes). The open hours are abysmal. I don't know who they are accommodating by closing at 4PM, but it certainly isn't your average mourner who likely holds a job. Holiday hours are equally wonky. The marble faces of the mausoleum "headstones" are not cleaned or even dusted. Mourners are not permitted to bring plants or flower arrangements. Plastic green vases are stocked in the bathrooms for cut flowers only- but there are never enough of them. Wish there was another option but there isnt. Your held hostage and they know it here. read more

Beautiful one of the nicest cemetery's I've been to!! My mom bought her condo here!! The new section is brightly lit!!

As a child (and even a little bit as an adult), I had great exposure to Ferncliff Cemetery since it is only a short walk (a few minutes) from the house where my grandparents used to live and raised my mother & her 3 siblings. I've never been inside it unless it was to attend a funeral, though it is a large, spacious place with a long list of celebrities who are either buried here or have been cremated on the premises. Here's a list, taken directly from the cemetery's website: http://www.ferncliffcemetery.com/celeb_2.htm Notable names (to me, though many of the names are likely more recognizable to people older than I): Yul Brynner Joan Crawford Judy Garland Jim Henson John Lennon Malcolm X Thelonious Monk Christopher Reeve Basil Rathbone Nelson Rockefeller Ed Sullivan Preston Sturges Alan Freed Thomas Carvel I'm sure there are more here, as there are at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY. (See my review). I've never taken a tour of the grounds here (though I did at Gate of Heaven), though perhaps you can receive a full list of celebrities buried here from the Ferncliff Cemetery's office. Check out the website's "contact" section to see how to get in touch. At Gate of Heaven, I was once provided with a map and list of celebrity headstones at that property, so perhaps Ferncliff does the same thing? Worth a shot if you're into that sort of thing. I think this stuff is very interesting. The grounds are well-kept and the cemetery is rather large. One note: If you're from out-of-town and want to check out the cemetery during winter, be careful while driving up/down Secor Rd. if there's snow on the ground. Particularly coming up from Route 9A, the drive up Secor Rd. can be risky if there's snow/ice on the road. It isn't as bad coming from Hartsdale Ave., though there is one ascent up Secor Rd. and leading up to the cemetery that used to give me fits during winter. read more

Beautiful place, but some of their employees are definitely not respectful or professional. My family has buried multiple people there, therefore spending a lot of money at this cemetery, and we were recently treated terribly. We had a burial there this past week, and they insisted we pay the day of instead of before-hand. Apparently, there was something wrong with their credit card machine and it wouldn't accept a charge that large due to security reasons (so we were told). The person working there, Mike, proceeds to tell us "we can not proceed until someone comes up with the money". We had the body of our father waiting in the hallway and multiple mourning family members waiting. We asked to speak to a manager and Mike, the man working there said there was no one in charge that we could speak to (he was very rude). We asked if we could proceed and bring him a check or cash for the remaining balance immediately after our guests left, and he said no. We explained we had our Dad's body here waiting to be buried to which he responded, "well we need to get paid". No matter the circumstances, that is not how you respond to grieving children here to bury their father. That is beyond inappropriate and disrespectful. I understand yes, of course they need to be paid (as everyone does) but how unprofessional to say that in a moment like that. Any day like that for any family is difficult enough. If there are issues like this with their credit card equipment, they should ask for payment before hand, not while there is a body sitting in the hallway and a bunch of grieving family members. That is not the time. Mike was extremely cold and not sympathetic at all. "We need to be paid" is the last thing any grieving child needs to hear as they're about to bury their parent. We ended up splitting the balance on multiple cards and after this, Mike wasn't even the slightest bit apologetic. No family mourning should be treated like this. My family and I are long time customers there and we loved the place for years. But if they allow employees like this to continue to work there, they're gonna lose a lot of business. read more