After a year without tours, due to the pandemic, the Woodland Historic Cemetery & Arboretum has announced they are bringing back a schedule Sunset tours beginning Thursday, June 3rd. There will be two different volunteer lead walking t0urs available, online reservations are needed and tours run just $5. Here are the descriptions of the tours available:
Historic Tour
Founded in 1841, Woodland is one of the oldest rural garden cemeteries in the United States. You’ll visit the final resting place of the Wright Brothers, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Erma Bombeck, James Ritty, the Stanley Family, the Mead Family, George Newcom and many other famous and infamous Daytonians. Tours launch from the Eichelberger Plaza at the main gates on Woodland Avenue at 6:30 p.m.
Arboretum Tour
In 1841, cemetery founder John Van Cleve inventoried 41 different species of trees on the hills and valleys of Woodland. Today, Woodland is a Level II Arboretum and is home to over 165 species of trees. On this tour, you’ll take a walk through the cemetery and arboretum discovering many varieties of Buckeye, Dogwood, Sycamore, Spruce, Beech, Pine, Maple, Magnolia, Ash, Linden, Cedar, Fir, Elm, Oak and Poplar trees. And that’s just a sample of the trees you’ll see. Join us for this walk and let’s talk trees. Tours launch from the Eichelberger Plaza at the main gates on Woodland Avenue at 6:30 p.m.
They are also offering a Special 5 hour Headstone Cleaning and Restoration class on Sept 18th, brought to you by Misti Spillman of Reviving Cemeteries and Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum. This workshop is for beginners and cost is $30 per person. You will receive hands on, one-on-one and group instruction on headstone preservation techniques including: fixing breaks, resetting, cleaning and how to mix proper mortars for stone repair. You will also receive a Headstone Cleaning Starter Kit that will include all of the tools needed for the day. The entire workshop will be spent in the cemetery. A break for lunch will be provided. Please feel free to bring a lunch or visit any of the restaurants on Brown Street.
Misti Spillman has a background in researching and restoring cemeteries. She worked as an AmeriCorps member at the Ohio History Connection and serves as a reference and liaison to numerous museums and historical societies throughout Ohio. Misti is the owner of Reviving Cemeteries, LLC.
