Haven’t you heard that Woodlawn Cemetery is more than just a burial ground? It is a sprawling outdoor museum. Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City. It is a designated National Historic Landmark.
Established in 1863, Woodlawn Cemetery offered Manhattan residents a peaceful, accessible burial site. The cemetery spans over 400 acres. It lies just south of Woodlawn Heights in the Bronx. This location was part of Yonkers when the cemetery opened. It was annexed to New York City in 1874.
Woodlawn’s rolling hills and tree-lined roads create a rural cemetery feel. You will find unique memorials here. Some were designed by famous architects. McKim, Mead & White and John Russell Pope contributed designs. James Gamble Rogers, Cass Gilbert, and others also left their mark.
More than 300,000 people rest here. Woodlawn Cemetery is the final destination for many remains moved from other cemeteries. Graves from Rutgers Street church and West Farms Dutch Reformed Church were relocated here. Bensonia Cemetery graves also found their way to Woodlawn. Even the Dyckman-Nagle Burying Ground remains were moved, except for one family.
Many notable figures are buried at Woodlawn. Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes rests here. Influential urban planner Robert Moses is also interred here. You can find the graves of actress Cicely Tyson and Olympic champion Gertrude Ederle. Aviation pioneer Harriet Quimby and performer George M. Cohan are here too.
Musicians like Irving Berlin, Miles Davis, and Duke Ellington also call Woodlawn their final home. Celia Cruz and Florence Mills, famous singers, are buried here. Discover the resting places of authors Nellie Bly, Herman Melville, and Dorothy Parker. Even gangster Bumpy Johnson is among those interred.
Keep an eye out for “Brewer’s Row.” Here, many New York brewers and their families found their resting place.
Woodlawn Cemetery transitioned from a rural cemetery to a more orderly style. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2011. The Woodlawn Conservancy helps preserve this historic space. This group enhances Woodlawn through fundraising and educational programs. They work with other non-profits to conserve stones and share history.
Woodlawn is an active cemetery. It serves over 3,000 families each year. Besides in-ground burials, Woodlawn offers cremation services. Community mausoleums and private estate lots are available.
Woodlawn’s landscape hosts diverse flora and fauna. It is home to five of New York City’s “Great Trees”. Woodlawn provides tours and events. These connect the past and present. It also serves as an outdoor classroom. Many come to study the 140 tree varieties in its arboretum.