Old Town of Flushing Burial Ground
historic place
The Old Town of Flushing Burial Ground in Queens, New York, was established in 1840. The town of Flushing purchased this land as a public burial ground. It initially served those who died during cholera and smallpox epidemics in the 1840s, as church burials were restricted due to contamination fears. From approximately 1880 until its last burial in 1898, the ground primarily served African Americans and Native Americans. In 1914, the site was transferred to the New York City Parks Department. By the 1930s, the burial ground was converted into a children's playground known as Martin's Field. During its construction, workers uncovered human remains. In the 1990s, community activist Mandingo Osceola Tshaka helped bring attention to the site's history. The site was officially renamed The Olde Towne of Flushing Burial Ground in 2009 or 2010. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Today, a central stone and a commemorative wall honor the estimated 500 to 1000 individuals interred here. This location is historically significant as a recognized burial ground for early Flushing residents, including African Americans and Native Americans.