Our History
Our History
Woodlawn's Early Days
At over 129 years old, this cemetery holds much of the history of the Detroit area within its borders. Monuments and mausoleums throughout the cemetery memorialize the lives of Detroit greats from the auto and music industries, key philanthropists to education, art and other causes, major political and financial figures and many others who served as an important part of history. With architectural structures modeled in ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman styles, Woodlawn serves as an outdoor museum to be revered by all. These grand architectural structures eternally memorialize these important historical figures with solid and intricate design, built to be honored forever.
Founded in 1895, Woodlawn features a beautiful landscape in a park-like setting on 140 acres. Woodlawn opened the next year and quickly became the preferred cemetery of Detroit's finest and most notable citizens. See below for a list of a few of the many notable burials at this cemetery. Also known as Woodward Lawn Cemetery in its early days.
A Connection to the Ancient Past
Many of the mausoleums at Woodlawn were built by the Lloyd Brothers Monument Company using stone and stainless steel among other materials meant to last for eternity. These timeless structures were created in styles from ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian civilizations.
Woodlawn continues to offer structures and monuments of the most durable material available through Coldspring and Star Granite. These structures are almost entirely customizable and designed to memorialize lives forever.
