40. Community Need In early 1840, when Dayton outgrew its original graveyards at Third and Main streets and at Fifth Street, civic pioneer John Van Cleve was given the task to find a new cemetery location within the city. He found that Augustus George had a forty-acre site for sale that had beautiful hilltop views of the city and a remarkable variety of trees.

Founded in 1841, Woodland was one of the nation’s first rural garden cemeteries that was not connected to a church or place of worship. It is a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton.

With over 111,000 souls entrusted to its care, it is the final resting place of many of Dayton’s most distinguished residents including the Wright Brothers, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles F. Kettering, Gov. James M. Cox, John H. Patterson, Col. Edward A. Deeds, Erma Bombeck and so many more.

The Richardsonian Romanesque Gateway, Chapel and Office are on the National Register of Historic Places and the cemetery itself has been designated as a Historic District by the United States Department of the Interior. In all, the cemetery has three designations on the National Register, is listed on the Ohio register for historic places and has a Historic Landmark designation from the City of Dayton.

The certified Level II Arboretum is among the foremost green spaces in Dayton and Ohio with over 200 acres adorned with over 3,000 trees including ten current or former State Champion trees as recognized by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry.

Each year, an estimated 48,000+ visitors attend services, and frequent the park for recreational, botanical and historical uses including viewing the Gem City from our Lookout Point or simply finding a peaceful place to contemplate life and death in a serene setting. Today, the cemetery with its outreach programs, has been well received by over 5,000 attendees, including 200+ educational programs in the form of tours and presentations on and off the grounds. The Ohio Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) has hosted seasonal monthly programs at Woodland for industry leaders and we have partnered in the community with many organizations including: The Aviation Trail, Inc., The National Aviation Heritage Area, Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park, Dayton Metro Library, University of Dayton Osher’s Lifelong Learning Institute, Wright State University Sociology and Anthropology Department and Sinclair Community College.

Woodland is still a very active operating cemetery, assisting approximately 1,600 families annually with burial and cremation services. Sufficient undeveloped land is available to accommodate more than 50,000 future burials, equating to 100 years of remaining active operation. Thereafter, Woodland will be endowed permanently as a historic site, passive cemetery, and green area, open to all who seek serenity, beauty and history.

Restoring the Chapel, Admin Building and Front Gates allows all visitors to appreciate the historic value that Woodland brings to the community and the history of one of the oldest cemeteries in the city of Dayton. A look at Woodland’s historic burial maps demonstrates the heritage and cultural practices of the city by the families who purchased adjoining lots to bury their loved ones together, and the many civic and fraternal organization who purchased lots. Long gone are the members of the Sons of Temperance, Woodmen of the World and Junior Order of the United American Mechanics. No longer are soldiers buried with a plaque bearing Grand Army of the Republic or Sons of Protection. Visitors can find the people whose monuments and markers bear the symbols of these groups and learn more about the members of these organizations through research and programs presented by the cemetery. Visitors will find a unique area where both Union and Confederate soldiers rest in peace side-by-side in the Civil War Soldiers Section and students who learn about the Great Flood of 1913 will find both victims and heroes of that tragedy at Woodland.

The Gateway to Woodland featuring the Chapel and Admin Building will welcome visitors of all ages to learn more about the residents, history, art and culture of past, present and future Daytonians. Lectures and special programs and events will be held in the Chapel among magnificent Tiffany artwork from windows to floor to wall décor. In the Admin Office, researchers will find historic documents, biographies and displays of perhaps their ancestors who were the inventors, influencers, and creative individuals that made a positive and lasting impact on not only the Dayton community but the world.