The Lunatics Project

10/09/2025

New York City’s Calvary Cemetery has a very interesting history. If you visit today, you’ll see a historic cemetery with Manhattan’s skyline as a backdrop. Many people use the land as green space in the city, using its paved roads as walking and bike paths. We only saw several of the 71 sections.

In the early 1800s a cemetery on Mott Street in Manhattan was nearing capacity. The owners, the Trustees of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral knew they needed to expand. Around the same time, the city was faced with a cholera epidemic and sadly needed to do something to increase burial sites. The state of New York passed the Rural Cemetery Act in 1847 that allowed for the burial of human remains to become a business for the first time.

The board of trustees of Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral purchased land in Queens to turn into a cemetery.

Calvary Cemetery was officially opened in 1848. It’s spread across 365 acres of land, an expansion from the original 71 acres. It has approximately 3 million interments which makes it the cemetery with the most burial sites within the United States.

The cemetery now belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York and is still managed by the trustees of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The first person to be buried at Calvary Cemetery was Esther Ennis on July 31st 1848. Her cause of death is listed as “a broken heart.” Annie More is also buried here, known as the first person to pass through Ellis Island.

After its opening, the cemetery was burying up to 50 people a day. Many, many of those - just under half - were poverty stricken Irish children under the age of seven.

Because the influenza and tuberculosis epidemics took so many lives, grave diggers couldn't keep up with the need..and family members were forced to dig the graves for their loved ones themselves. At this time it cost between $3 and $7 to be buried at Calvary Cemetery depending on your age. In the mid 1800s bodies were also transferred from a Manhattan cemetery to Calvary in Queens to make room for new land development.

10/07/2025

Listen in to episode #163 of the Lunatics Radio Hour podcast, as we discuss the history of the Friday the 13th horror franchise. In part one we start with the first four films; Friday the 13th (1980), Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982), Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1983).

From Kevin Bacon to Corey Feldman, there is a lot to discuss between the first four movies in this series.

Lunatics Radio Hour, anywhere you listen to podcasts. https://www.lunaticsproject.com/episodes

10/06/2025

Would you touch The Bronze Lady? I wasn’t brave enough to. This sculpture sits in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in New York, and has terrified local teenagers for years. As all urban legends do, there are various different versions of both the origin story of the brass lady and how she might curse you. But generally, the story goes that the wife of a rich businessman and civil war general, wanted to create something special to memorialize his final resting place. Samuel Thomas passed in 1903. So his widow, Ann, commissioned a brass statue to look upon his mausoleum.

Ann was unhappy with the work of the sculptor, she thought the brass lady was too sad. When she went back to the artist, the story goes that the widow asked the artist for a happier version. So the artist sculpted a joyful head for the brass lady, but then destroyed it in front of Ann. Making a point about not updating his artwork. In the 60s and 70s, teenagers developed a bit of an urban legend about the lady. There are tons of variations here. Some say that sitting in her lap would invoke a curse, spinning around three times in front of her and then looking at her results in a curse, or even just touching her.

Either way, the brass lady is a stunning sculpture. Forever morose and she looks upon the mausoleum of Samuel and Ann Thomas.

10/05/2025

These are the perhaps haunted Hyderdhal Ruins, located in the Staten Island woods in New York City. Dating back to the early 1800s, the ruins are named for the Hyderdhal family, who attempted to settle on this land and start a grape orchard. Unfortunately, due to serpentine rock under the soil, the land was impossible to farm on. There are ghost stories surrounding this area, one that I found online were claims of a girl riding a horse across these hills, only to disappear into thin air. If you wish to visit, the ruins are only a short hike off of one of the main trails through these woods.

10/01/2025

Happy October! 🎃 Today is the perfect day to watch Practical Magic (1998). In 1998, Practical Magic hit theaters, and ever since, it’s helped define how a generation thinks about the intersection of femininity and witchcraft (along with The Craft.) Practical Magic was written by Alice Hoffman, Robin Swicord, and Akiva Goldsman. It’s based on a novel by Alice Hoffman. It was directed by Griffin Dunne.

For me, Practical Magic conjures up an ideal version of friendship, family, and looking at the world with a sense of wonder. I always feel drawn to spend time with my sister, mother, and friends after a viewing. There is something magical about the way Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s characters support each other, fight for each other, and laugh together through it all. I also often feel inspired to plant flowers, bake for loved ones, and make a bit pitcher of margaritas.

Everything doesn’t work out for our leading ladies in this film, but the lesson we are left with is more about the people who help you navigate life vs. ending up with a perfect one. Not to say that Practical Magic isn’t a romantic version of life; of course it is. It’s a movie. And the dreamy soundtrack composed of iconic 90s hits like This Kiss, only drives that point further home.

It’s surprising to me that Practical Magic has such a low rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It seems most of the critique is centered around the film being too ‘syrupy’ or ‘cute.’ But I would venture that the characters and the sisterhood deserve more credit than that. Or perhaps I am feeling defensive of the film because I am a child of the 90s and someone who is actively into Witchcraft; who is to say?

I can understand that Practical Magic isn’t for everyone. But it feels squarely for me. Even without supernatural abilities, I can related to the ritual of making margaritas and dancing around the kitchen. Maybe my version of that is taking a longer walk to work to make time to grab a latte, or sending a post card to a friend. Carving out time for the seemingly little or mundane things, and adding a layer of ritualism to them that almost feels spiritual.

09/29/2025

One of the most famous tragedies from colonial New England was the Salem Witch Trial's. These trials took place about a century earlier than the New England Vampire Panic, and yet the Vampire Panic is much less well known. This is the grave of accused vampire Mercy Brown. For more on the story of Mercy Brown and the New England Vampire Panic, listen to episode 145 of the Lunatics Radio Hour Podcast. https://www.lunaticsproject.com/episodes/episode/82ab1a6e/episode-145-the-history-of-the-new-england-vampire-panic

09/27/2025

As we gear up for Halloween movie marathons, I wanted to take a moment to honor the final girls that taught us to fight like hell.

A "final girl" is typically thought of as the survivor of a massacre, or otherwise horrific event that ends in mass death. In classic horror these women tend to symbolize purity. For example, Laure Strode was babysitting while her friends were drinking and hooking up in the house across the street. Guess who survives?

A really classic final girl will build strength and confidence as the film unfolds, she will confront her killer directly and use her cunning to defeat him.

Here are the most iconic final girls. Yes, of course this post contains spoilers, but you've had literally decades to watch these films.

09/26/2025

This is the The Rezeau-Van Pelt family Cemetery in Staten Island’s Historic District. It was first established in the 1780s. The very unique fence around the plot is a replica of the original, which was built in the mid 1800s. Along the fence you can see the hourglasses adorned with wings. Later, the local courthouse, which you can see in the background was built next door. This cemetery was designated as a New York City landmark in 1969.

09/18/2025

We are so thrilled to officially kick off Spooky Season with our 6th edition of Campfire Tales, co-hosted by Alex Goleman. https://www.lunaticsproject.com/episodes/episode/7dd46366/episode-162-campfire-tales-6

The Summoning was written by Joseph Hare, and narrated by Denali Bartell. Check out Joseph on Instagram and on Substack josephhare.substack.

The Bark was written by Glenn Dugan and Narrated by Mike Macera. Check out Glenn's website here, whereisglennnow.com and follow him on Instagram .

Poltergeists on Presidents Street was written by LindaAnn Lo Schiavo and narrated by Alex Goleman. Follow LindaAnn on bluesky .bsky.social and on Twitter: .

09/18/2025

Most of the gravestones in this cemetery are Metal. This is Most Holy Trinity Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. The metal gravestones were meant to even the playing field between classes so that all stones looked uniform. Some were metal; others were wood-painted gray. But you can see they have not aged very well. A lot of these stones are over 170 years old. Many of the wood stones have not survived. Many of the metal headstones were also stolen over the years and used for scrap metal. It was originally established in 1841 after the land was bought from the Meserole Farm. In 1851 the cemetery was actually moved to where it is now; the church bought a section of land from the neighboring Evergreens Cemetery as a way to expand. All previous burials were respectfully transferred.

09/17/2025

Bell, Book, and Candle tells the story of Gillian Holroyd, a witch who runs an art store in Greenwich Village (a dream come true.) When her new neighbor catches her eye, she uses her cat to cast a spell on the man. But of course, Holroyd’s dislike for her new neighbor’s fiance motivates her actions. The world needs a think-piece on why female witches are depicted so often with cats. More:

Somehow, Bell, Book, and Candle (1958) had totally slipped past my radar until 65 years after its release. This dreamy supernatural romantic comedy stars James Stewart and Kim Novak. Notably, Hitchcock’s film Vertigo also came out in 1958 and also stars Stewart and Novak. Vertigo premiered in May,...

09/14/2025

A beautiful morning in Segovia, Spain. Home to a Roman Aqueduct, Gothic Cathedral and all the Jamon you could ever need.