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Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum

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Dayton, OH
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum

An active cemetery, serving over 1,600 families annually. A Dayton landmark since 1841. Patterson (NCR), George P. Loren M. Berry, Sr. (L. M. Co.).
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Conservator of Dayton history and the culture of its people

In the 1840s when Dayton outgrew its original graveyards at Third and Main Street and at Fifth Street, civic pioneer John Van Cleve chose a new forty-acre site, largely for its splendid hilltop views and remarkable variety of trees. Woodland’s place in history reaches far beyond Dayton, as its remarkable structures with unique interior features are of national significance. As one of a few 19th-century rural garden cemeteries in America, the site offers a distinctive historical, educational, and recreational resource for the southwestern Ohio region and the nation. Each year, thousands tour the grounds of Woodland to visit the grave-sites of Wilbur and Orville Wright, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, Governor James M. Cox, writer Erma Bombeck, Jeraldyne Blunden, founder of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, inventor Charles F. Kettering and his daughter-in-law, philanthropist Virginia Kettering, and entrepreneurs John H. Huffman (Huffy Bicycles), George Mead (Mead Paper Co.) Berry Co.), and Preserved Smith (Barney & Smith Mfg. Woodland is the conservator of Dayton history and the culture of its people. We are proud to be the final resting place of over 111,000 souls resting peacefully among our beautiful and timeless grounds.

04/05/2026

Want to learn more about Charles Kettering and Paul Laurence Dunbar? Join us Wednesday, April 15th at 1pm in our Historic Tiffany Chapel. This program would explore the lives of these two Dayton figures, their lasting contributions, and their connection to Woodland Cemetery. Through stories and historical context, the presentation will highlight how Woodland serves not only as a place of remembrance, but also as a landscape that preserves the stories of Dayton’s cultural and scientific heritage.

Chuck Johnson will be the presenter for this program. He is a dedicated public speaker on the life and achievements of C. F. Kettering and worked for the C. F. Kettering Research Laboratory as a Senior Research Associate from 1957 to 1963. He is also a committed volunteer and historian involved in multiple Dayton community non-profits, including Five Rivers MetroParks, Woodland Cemetery, Dayton History’s Carillon Park, and the City of Dayton Landmark Committee. He is currently a Trustee of Preservation Dayton, Inc., representing the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood and working to highlight its historical significance.

This program is free and open to the public but reservations are required.

https://woodlandcemetery.org/event/two-dayton-legacies-at-woodland-charles-f-kettering-and-paul-laurence-dunbar/

03/13/2026

WIND ADVISORY
Due to high winds and for the safety of our visitors and staff, Woodland Cemetery is closed to visitation today, March 13, 2026. We anticipate reopening the gates on Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 a.m., provided conditions have improved and it is safe to do so.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

02/27/2026

A collage of advertisements for monument companies and a Woodland Cemetery Association Admittance Ticket.

Below is a short blurb from our book: Woodland: 150 years

By 1867, the grounds of Woodland Cemetery had attracted many visitors. It was THE place to go for a Sunday stroll. There were beautifully landscaped areas: flowers, ferns and great iron urns filled with exotic plants. There were also wire and wrought iron benches on which to rest contemplate. But some folks took advantage of the open hospitality offered. In 1867, this entry appeared in the Minute Book: "Complaints having been made of the large number of persons visiting the cemetery on Sundays, and the disorder, and injury to flowers and shrubbery resulting therefrom, it was, on motion, Resolved: No person excepting Lot Owners and their families, and those attending funerals, be admitted to the grounds on Sunday, and that tickets be provided and furnished to Lot Owners on application to the Superintendent at the gate" (Note: how long this restriction was in force is not clear. There are passes in the historical records bearing the date of August 16, 1926).

02/25/2026

A snow day at Woodland. This picture dates to the 1920s.

02/20/2026

On June 14, 1869, John Charles Cline (pictured) was elected, for one year, to the position of Superintendent. His initial year must have been quite impressive, for he remained on the payroll until his death of August 22, 1922. His son Luther served as Superintendent from October 11, 1922 until his death of April 26th, 1946.

02/18/2026

The old reservoir pond in section 101. This photograph dates to 1900. The obelisk in the background is Harries. Section 101 is where the Wright Brothers and Paul Laurence Dunbar are buried. In the Spring of 1960, the lake was drained, the foundation removed, and the excavation filled. Sixty family sized lots were created in its place.

02/16/2026

Join us for Black History month to celebrate the lives of individuals who are resting peacefully in our mausoleum. We are offering this special tour in the indoor mausoleum, featuring beautiful stained glass windows and telling the stories of George C. Cooper, James Parsons, W. S. McIntosh , Bob and Norma Ross and many others.

The tour will be offered on two Saturdays , February 7th and 21st at 2:00 pm. The tour will last two hours and if weather permits, will include a walk to James H McGee, Jordan Anderson , Paul Laurence Dunbar and other gravesites.

Meet at the main entrance to the Mausoleum. Parking is available in front of the building. The building is climate controlled and handicap accessible. Visitors will be walking on both carpet and marble floors.

All tours require a reservation and there is a suggested $5 donation. All donations support the Woodland Arboretum Foundation which focuses on the restoration, preservation, horticultural and educational projects needed to keep Woodland a cultural resource for Dayton and Ohio.

https://woodlandcemetery.org/event/black-history-mausoleum-tour-6/

01/26/2026

01/09/2026

Our End of Winter Bird Walk is Saturday, March 14th at 9am.

This is a great time see our year-round residents, winter visitors like Dark-eyed Juncos, and early spring migrants like blackbirds, and maybe even Eastern Phoebe and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Bring your binoculars and dress for the weather.

The walk is slow-paced, and mostly stays on the road surface, but sometimes does venture “off-trail” into the grass. Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear a good pair of walking shoes! The tour will meet at the Eichelberger Plaza at the main gates of the cemetery.

Your nature guide will be Amanda Lawson, an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist.

To reserve your spot please click the link below:
https://woodlandcemetery.org/event/end-of-winter-bird-walk-3/

Address

118 Woodland Avenue
Dayton, OH
45409

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 7pm
Tuesday	8am - 7pm
Wednesday	8am - 7pm
Thursday	8am - 7pm
Friday	8am - 7pm
Saturday	8am - 7pm
Sunday	8am - 7pm

Telephone

+19372283221

Website

http://www.woodlandcemetery.org/

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Conservator of Dayton history and the culture of its people

In the 1840s when Dayton outgrew its original graveyards at Third and Main Street and at Fifth Street, civic pioneer John Van Cleve chose a new forty-acre site, largely for its splendid hilltop views and remarkable variety of trees.

Woodland’s place in history reaches far beyond Dayton, as its remarkable structures with unique interior features are of national significance. As one of a few 19th-century rural garden cemeteries in America, the site offers a distinctive historical, educational, and recreational resource for the southwestern Ohio region and the nation.

Each year, thousands tour the grounds of Woodland to visit the grave-sites of Wilbur and Orville Wright, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, Governor James M. Cox, writer Erma Bombeck, Jeraldyne Blunden, founder of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, inventor Charles F. Kettering and his daughter-in-law, philanthropist Virginia Kettering, and entrepreneurs John H. Patterson (NCR), George P. Huffman (Huffy Bicycles), George Mead (Mead Paper Co.) Loren M. Berry, Sr. (L. M. Berry Co.), and Preserved Smith (Barney & Smith Mfg. Co.).

Woodland is the conservator of Dayton history and the culture of its people. We are proud to be the final resting place of over 110,000 souls resting peacefully among our beautiful and timeless grounds.