Queens leaders call for memorial at historic Elmhurst burial ground

Community leaders and officials are calling for the preservation of a historic burial ground in Elmhurst, Queens, which currently serves as a parking lot. The site was originally owned by the St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church, which purchased the land in 1828. Historians believe as many as 300 freed African Americans may be buried at the location.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. is urging the city to purchase the property and transform it into a memorial and green space. The site gained significant attention in 2011 when construction workers unearthed an iron coffin containing the well-preserved remains of a young Black woman.

The property is currently in foreclosure after the owner failed to pay a $6.5 million mortgage. The Rev. Kimberly Detherage, pastor of St. Mark AME Church, is supporting the initiative to secure landmark status for the site to honor the history of the community and those interred there.