The Greenwood Cemetery in South Brooklyn is stuffed with well known citizens—from artists and musicians to war generals and politicians. However, a hidden grave has bought additional attention from newest visitors than ever previous than.
A few of the many loads of angels and obelisks is Rex: a bronze statue of a dog lying on a stone platform at the side of his establish engraved on it. Rex has stood guard over his owner’s plot on the subject of the corner of Sycamore and Greenbough Avenues for overflow 100 years — and he’s however an excellent boy.
Rex is thought to be the dog of John E. Stow, who was once one amongst the various city’s longest operating against fruit shops when he died in 1884. For years, people are collecting sticks and fallen branches to leave them at the great boy’s in a position paws.
“When it involves Rex, he obviously sticks out,” Stacy Locke, communications manager for Green-Picket Cemetery, knowledgeable The Dodo. “Folks see him from the freeway — it’s form of a prominent spot, correct off of the intersection of 2 roads proper right here.” “It’s correct underneath a tree and there are quite a lot of sticks spherical,” Locke added. “Folks will drop a stick during his little paws. Any person moreover left an image of a dog there once, in all probability their little puppy who passed on to the great beyond, as to mention, ‘Rex, care for my kid .’”
Green-Picket has transform a well-liked holiday spot for those looking to flee the crowds and enjoy nature throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And because the number of travelers has grown, so has Rex’s stick collection.
Alternatively Rex isn’t the one animal to be commemorated at the 478-acre cemetery — plenty of other liked pets had been buried with their householders previous than the cemetery’s board of trustees prohibited animal burials in 1879. “There’s one different dog sculpture that features a comparable mysterious tale however it’s a touch bit additional off the crushed trail,” Locke discussed. “And that one in most cases has toys left thereon .”
A realize in Green-Picket’s knowledge dating to the nineteenth century refers to the location of a “bronze likeness of a dog,” on the other hand whether or not or now not Rex is buried next to his owner remains mystery. “I consider people wish to consider that there’s a dog interred there and there alright may well be ,” Locke discussed. “Alternatively it’s onerous to mention .” Rex’s statue is also a sweet reminder that it doesn’t matter what amount time passes, a dog’s love is forever.
