9. Washington Cemetery, Mapleton, Brooklyn: 200,000 Interments

Washington Cemetery in Mapleton, Brooklyn (another Jewish Cemetery) is home to more than 200,000 residents on its collective acreage, which was made possible by the Rural Cemetery Act of 1847. The act, which allowed for commercial cemeteries to be created outside of New York City limits, was put into effect before Brooklyn was a part of New York City. Taken altogether, the Washington Cemetery is one of New York City’s largest cemeteries by interment, although it’s technically split into five different divisions.

Washington Cemetery #1, the original Washington Cemetery, was established by the almost vice-president James Arlington Bennet. Bennet was Mormonism’s founder Joseph Smith’s first choice as running mate in the 1844 Presidential election before Smith was assassinated that same year. Now, Bennet and his family reside in Washington Cemetery #1, but his name is misspelled. His tombstone reads: “Author of Bennett’s Book Keeping & Other Works. Founder of Washington Cemetery.”

In 2008, Washington Cemetery sold its final plot for $7,000, thus making it the first of New York City’s cemeteries to run out of space. Since then, Washington Cemetery has served as an example of New York City’s problem with overcrowded cemeteries (a city where the dead is said to outnumber the number of living).