Cornell Family Cemetery

Cornell Family Cemetery is a family burial ground in Far Rockaway, Queens, holding graves and monuments from multiple generations of the Cornell family. The site is located on Gateway Boulevard and remains open to visitors throughout the year.

This burial ground was established in 1846 and holds the remains of Richard Cornell, one of the first European settlers in the Rockaway region. Its founding marks the early period of family settlement in what was then a rural area.

The headstones here display the inscription styles and symbolic designs that families used to remember their loved ones in earlier centuries. Walking among them reveals how people expressed grief and respect through the choices they made for memorial stones.

The cemetery sits on the west side of Caffrey Avenue, north of New Haven Avenue, making it easy to reach on foot. Visitors should wear respectful clothing and walk carefully among the graves, as this is an active burial site.

This is one of only six original burial grounds that survived the extensive urban development of Queens during the 20th century. Its preservation amid modern surroundings makes it a rare remnant of earlier times.

Location: Queens

GPS coordinates: 40.60010,-73.74950

Latest update: December 9, 2025 20:22