Death in New York: Extended Daylight Tour
Immerse yourself in New York’s rich history of death, burial, epidemics, and execution on this in-depth 2.75-hour tour (based on the book Death in New York) exploring Battery Park, the Financial District, Tribeca, the Civic Center, and Chinatown.
Why This Tour?
This extended walking tour traces the layered story of how death has shaped the infrastructure, values, and rituals of New York City. From indigenous burials to body-snatching riots and modern funeral commerce, this is a ground-level look at the city’s evolving relationship with mortality.
It’s not about ghosts or gimmicks; it’s about forgotten cemeteries, epidemics, identity, and the political legacy of the dead beneath our feet.
What You'll Discover
Burial Grounds & Execution Islands
Peer at the Lenape burial site, colonial execution zones, and prisoner-of-war islands of New York Harbor from Battery Park.
Controversial Museum Collections
Discover the debate surrounding death-related exhibits and acquisitions at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Epidemics & Trinity Church
Unearth the history of disease outbreaks and burial prohibitions at Trinity Church.
Irish Heroes at St. Paul’s Chapel
See the cenotaphs of Irish war heroes and political activists remembered at St. Paul’s Chapel.
Burial Riot at St. Peter’s Church
Learn about the city’s first Catholic burial ground and the unrest that followed its early use.
Executions & Lincoln’s Procession
Visit sites of historic prisons, excavated graves, and the solemn route of President Lincoln’s New York funeral procession at City Hall Park.
Riots & the African Burial Ground
Observe the site of body-snatching incidents and civic protests at one of Manhattan’s most sacred rediscoveries.
Jail Deaths in the Civic Center
Inspect the death toll statistics and overlooked legacies of New York’s past and present carceral system.
Chinatown’s Funeral Industry Street
Survey an evolving neighborhood still shaped by the businesses of mourning and remembrance.
Oldest Jewish Cemetery in North America
Visit one of Manhattan’s oldest and most historically significant graveyards in the area of Two Bridges.
Tour Details
Meeting point: Outside the doors of Manhattan's Whitehall Ferry Terminal (for the Staten Island ferry) at 4 Whitehall Street, New York, NY 10004 (under the word “STATEN” in the “STATEN ISLAND FERRY” SIGN above the entrance).
Endpoint: Beside Chatham Square (Chinatown)
Tour length: 2.¾ hours
Distance covered: 2.5 miles
Meeting point: Manhattan's Whitehall Ferry Terminal (for the Staten Island ferry)
“This tour reignited my love for New York. Discover the real beginnings of this city... So much of New York’s history is literally and figuratively “buried,” but hearing these stories while standing on streets and in buildings that have withstood centuries was truly captivating.”
“This is a fantastic tour... I am a New Yorker born and raised in the West Village and we went places and saw things that I had never known existed much less visited. She knows her subject absolutely and presents it with enthusiasm and charm. She also knows plenty of other things that she has discovered in her adventures and researches around the city. I was constantly amazed to learn about events and places I have walked by a thousand times. I recommend her tour to anyone. It is very, very good and well worthwhile.”
“I have attended two Purefinder Tours — Psychiatry in New York, and more recently, Death in New York. Both are exceptional and about the best tours I’ve experienced in this fascinating city… But there is so much more. She reveals connections and context that make the facts meaningful and memorable. Few tours and guides accomplish that. Walking tours in New York City are a great way to appreciate and enjoy this special place, and the Purefinder tours do it best.”
