Woodland Press Release, December 2011

Woodland Cemetery Added to National Register as a “Historic District”

Washington D.C./Dayton, Ohio: On November 22, the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service approved Woodland’s Nomination by the Ohio Historical Society to be designated as a “Historic District” on the National Register of Historic Places.

“This honor is important to both Woodland and the region,” [Senate honor's Woodland] said Dave FitzSimmons, President/CEO of Woodland. “It enhances Dayton’s reputation and adds another reason for locals and tourists to visit the National Aviation Heritage Area and the Aviation Trail.”

The borders of the “Historic District” are the 105 acres that comprised the Victorian sections of the cemetery within its 1912 borders and includes 25 “Contributing” structures to the historic significance of the District, including such structures as its 1847 Receiving Vault, the Johnny Morehouse Monument, the Dunbar Gravesite and the “Soldier Section”, donated to the G.A.R. in 1870 with over 600 Civil War type marble headstones. Due in large part to the contributions of landscape architect Adolph Strauch, Woodland Cemetery became one of America’s premier properties in the 1870’s, and its 105 Victorian Acres remain much as they appeared in 1912.

“This is an important moment in Woodland’s history,” continued FitzSimmons. “Our Historic Administration Building, entry Gate and Tiffany Chapel were added to the National Register in 1979, but this attests to the historic significance of the entire Victorian District. Woodland enhanced its standing as a ‘community asset’ on November 22. This is very significant for Dayton pride and Dayton tourism,” he said.

Woodland’s application for “Historic District” status stressed the contribution that Adolph Strauch made to the development of the new Rural Garden Cemetery Movement in the 1870’s. Woodland received permission to ‘borrow’ Mr. Strauch from Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, which was recognized as “the most beautiful of all cemeteries” in the 1870’s. Over the next several years, Strauch transformed Woodland’s landscape lawn plan, combining views of nature with architecture, monuments, lakes, bridges, and valleys using new and innovative “curvilinear” design patterns for roads and burial sections. During this time period, Strauch also planned numerous parks in Cincinnati (Eden Park, Burnet Woods, Lincoln Park) while also expanding the rural cemetery design concepts to Hartford Cemetery in Connecticut; Forest Lawn in Buffalo, New York; Highland Cemetery in Covington, Kentucky and Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. One need only drive or walk through any of these properties to appreciate the genius Adolph Strauch brought to both Woodland and the new field of cemetery design architecture.

Woodland is open for both self-guided and guided tours throughout the year. Its most popular tour is the 2 hour ‘Historic” tour, but “Aviation Heroes,” “Famous Women of Woodland,” “Windows,” “Upper Loop Historic,” “Sports Legends” and Historic tours with Segways are also available. A new driving tour, “The Private Mausoleums of Woodland,” will be inaugurated this spring.

For historic or tour information, call Woodland Cemetery at 937.228.3221


From left (top to bottom)
1. The Crosses of Woodland
2. The Receiving Vault
3. 1800’s Woodland Gathering
4. Woodland Map Text
5. Woodland Map
6. Adolph Strauch
7. Part of “Historic District”
8. Chapel Tiffany Window
9. Part of “Historic District”
10. Deeds Mausoleum
10 Reasons Why Woodland’s “Historic District” Status is Important to Dayton

# 10 – Prestige:
This enhances Dayton’s allure as a historic site worthy of attention and adds one more reason for both locals and tourists to visit the National Aviation Heritage Area and the Aviation Trail.

# 9 - Architectural Significance:
The listing on the National Register of Historic Places is due to the innovative landscape and architectural principles that were developed and applied in Woodland’s 105 acres within its 1912 boundaries, and which influenced cemetery design nationally.

# 8 – Enduring Beauty:
Designer Adolph Strauch’s works include the landscape design for Eden Park, Lincoln Park and Burnet Woods in Cincinnati, as well as several cemeteries nationally. Walk any of them today, and you’ll understand the enduring beauty of his work.

# 7 – Innovation:
Woodland appealed to the industrial innovators and entrepreneurs of Dayton society because the “curvilinear” landscape design for roads and sections was so pioneering. The design capitalized on the topography and resulted in unique vistas, viewpoints, and memorial sites.

# 6 – Reflection:
Woodland was, and remains today, the perfect mirror of Dayton society – economically, artistically, militarily and socially.

# 5 – Family Pride:
Woodland is entrusted with the most valuable possessions of 107,000 families, who now and forever will be a part of Dayton’s history and a national “Historic District.”

# 4 – Grants:
Road, erosion, arboretum and artistic preservation grant programs only available to “National Register” listed properties are now available to Woodland. Future beautification, construction and erosion control projects will bring money, jobs and enhancements to Dayton.

# 3 – Education:
How better to teach new generations about the inventive history of Dayton and Victorian society’s memorial art and symbolism than through tours, stories, folklore, urban legend and factual accounts in a living history lab? “Historic District” status assures the continued success of our education mission for generations of Daytonians to come.

# 2 – Responsibility:
This raises the bar for the trustees, employees and volunteers of Woodland as artistic restoration, preservation and educational objectives become an even larger part of the Woodland culture.

# 1 – Confirmation:
This designation is confirmation of the belief and trust of the families we serve. It confirms that our city fathers and government agencies have supported a non-profit worth preserving, and it affirms that the faith and confidence exhibited by our Foundation Members and Trustees is well-placed; it proves that this 170 year-old non-profit institution is a valued asset to Dayton, the Miami Valley, the State of Ohio and a historical asset to the Nation.