Woodlawn Cemetery & Arboretum

2025 Events . . . The History, Nature, and Art of Woodlawn

Visitors are welcome to step back into history and experience Woodlawn’s beautiful blend of nature and art: one hundred and sixty acres of stately trees and statuary. With our schedule of annual, seasonal, and collaborative events, Woodlawn preserves its historic roots as we move forward to restoration. 

Birds of Woodlawn - each Friday from 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Join us each week as we document the Birds of Woodlawn. From migrating to nesting birds, we will explore many natural habitats. From beginners to experienced birders, all our welcome. Please bring binoculars and bird guides, if you have them. Meet us at the Hillcrest Entrance. 

Woodlawn Walkers - each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. May 7th - October 1st
Whether you’re interested in a stroll or a power walk, join us each Wednesday on a two-mile path around Woodlawn. Drop in for one week or all four months. Get healthy and rejuvenated as you walk among the beautiful arboretum and the historical architectural features. Each participant will get a walking log to keep track of their progress.

Fall Tree and Tombstone Tours: October 5th - 1:00 - 2:30pm
The beauty of Woodlawn may change with the seasons, but its rich history is constant. The many family stories contained within its gates are literally etched in stone. The 90 minutes of leisurely walking, accompanied by our knowledgeable naturalist and historians through our nationally recognized arboretum tells our community history.

Forest Cemetery 
Tree and Tombstone - 2nd Fridays: June – September
June 20th, July 11th, August 8th and September 12th

Saturday, October 11th - 10:00 - 11:00am 
1704 Mulberry St., Toledo, OH
11:00 am – Noon Refreshments and Information / NOON:  Tree Planting - Urban Forestry Teen Tree Program 
Join OSU Extension Educator, Amy Stone to explore the Trees of Forest Cemetery, along with Forest Cemetery historians to hear family stories contained within its gates are literally etched in stone.  Meet at the Main gates.

Click here or fill out the form below to register or fill out the form below.

Woodlawn Cemetery is maintained in the "rural cemetery" spirit in which it was founded 125 years ago. Everything in it is as Adolph Strauch, creator of the landscape lawn plan for cemeteries, said of nineteenth-century rural cemeteries, "tasteful, classical, and poetical".

The cemetery’s designation as a National Historic Site was largely in recognition of its many turn-of-the-century buildings, unique monuments and ornate ironwork.

The 42 private family mausoleums on the grounds of Woodlawn date back to the 1880s. Many of Toledo’s most prominent families have erected mausoleums here, including the Stranahans, Berdans, Chesbroughs, Spitzers and Snyders.

The mausoleums represent a wide range of architectural styles, from Classical and Neo-Classical, to late Gothic and Egyptian Revivals. Victorian Fad monuments, which resembled tree trunks with all the branches cut off and were meant to symbolize an unfinished life, also appear. The grounds are also home to some unique personal representations, like the Gunckel pyramid (1917), the Bessie Ludwig chair monument (1930) and the GAR Civil War monument (1901).
Administration Building

Built in 1903 in the Romanesque style, this irregular and unusual structure is dominated by a bell tower, which is believed to be the center remains of a late nineteenth century windmill that was located on the site. The belfry is similar to a battlement and has a large square window on its front and rear, while on each side, there is an arched window.

The office building itself wraps around the tower and has retained its historical integrity, appearing on the outside just as it did when it was built. Its walls are of rock-faced coursed Ohio limestone topped by a slate roof. The tradition of tolling the bell to signal the arrival of a funeral procession continues today.

Woodlawn offers a treasure trove of information for historians and genealogy enthusiasts. We retain copies of all interment records. The interment record includes information such as: date of death; place of death; last place of residence; date of birth; place of birth; cause of death; parents’ names; and sometimes an obituary.

You may request a copy of an interment record or information for any deceased person buried at Woodlawn. If you wish a copy of the interment record, there may be a fee for each interment record search.

Please keep in mind, not all searches will provide the specific information you seek. Also, requests for information may take several weeks to be completed based on the number of inquiries received at any one time. Thank you for your patience.

Research Inquiries can be made online to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone or mail.

Woodlawn Notable Families Page - Background on notable Toledo families buried at Historic Woodlawn Cemetery. (Part of the history section of this website)

Genealogy has become a popular pursuit for hobbyists. Many resources are available on line and Ancestry.com, Familysearch.org and Heritagequestonline.com are recommended by local historians. The local History & Genealogy Department, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is also an excellent resource.