COVID-19 has made every famous attraction desert alike all over the world. It is majorly the tourism that got affected on a large scale. Empty subway stations to places where tourists used to be at a large scale are all empty now. Metropolises around the world have become like ghost towns, and some even refer to this phenomenon as the “Great Empty.”
Some open cemeteries:
- Brooklyn – Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn saw a dramatic rise in visitors during recent weeks. The 182-year-old cemetery extends its visiting hours to the visitors. It now opens all four gates so that they can accommodate the flood of guests. The number of visitors has soared as we can see in Detroit, the grounds of many cemeteries also remain open.
- Detroit – As when the grounds of many cemeteries are working to remain open, visitors’ number has increased. In Detroit, as per some residents, they’ve reportedly visited many cemeteries from the past few weeks.
- Pennsylvania– Cemeteries like West Laurel in Bala Cynwyd and Laurel Hill in Philadelphia witnesses a surge in visitors to more than 43 percent within a time of two weeks. According to the CEO and President of Pennsylvania cemeteries, people opt to visit them as they need more space, and there is a lack of alternatives. It is also noticed that many urban parks are closed or are dangerously crowded.
There are some of the other cemeteries that have started collecting money to keep gates open and staff them with personnel 24×7. This pandemic is the time when people crave for solace and extra space which nobody can provide other than these historic cemeteries. As per the officials, they take care of and understand the urge to maintain proper social distancing. They’ve also taken measures to ensure the proper safety of visitors. These precautions also include wearing gloves, masks and keeping a safe distance from the passerby.
Pastime from history
In a loser inspection, we see that cemeteries and parks have a lot in common. Many cemeteries are, in fact, certified arboretums. Cemeteries like Green-Wood were constructed as park cemeteries. They can function like parks and offer places for families to picnic and pedestrians to stroll. It has 478 acres of open space and more than 7000 trees that bloom magnolias during the springtime. There are a few significant spots where you can get a few moments of peace. Green-Wood was opened nearly 200 years ago, and since then, New Yorkers flock there. Records show that from the 19th century, more than half a million visitors visit there each year. Green-Wood was once the most-visited site in the US after Niagara Falls.
While we would rather suggest staying safe at home, if you want to visit there during this pandemic, you must keep safe. The question persists, though, will the tombstone tourism trend continue once the social distancing comes to an end or not?
