Oakwood Cemetery (Syracuse, New York)

Oakwood Cemetery is a 160-acre (65 ha) historic cemetery located in Syracuse, New York. It was designed by Howard Daniels and built in 1859. Oakwood Cemetery was created during a time period in the nineteenth century when the rural cemetery was becoming a distinct landscape type, and is a good example of this kind of landscape architecture.^[2]

The original 92 acres (37 ha) included about 60 acres (24 ha) of dense oak forest with pine, ash, hickory and maple. A crew of 60 laborers without large-scale earth moving equipment thinned and grouped the trees; today there are many 150-year old specimens. Students of SUNY-ESF, whose campus is adjacent to Oakwood, can regularly be seen in the cemetery for instruction on plant species or capturing insect specimens.^[2]

History

Oakwood was an immediate success after its dedication in November, 1859. Thousands of visitors led to the establishment of omnibus service directly to the cemetery gates. Additions to the original acreage were laid out in a manner sympathetic to the original design.^[2]

Gallery

Notable interments

• Charles Andrews, Chief Judge of the NY Court of Appeals
• Edward Gayer Andrews, a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
• Maltbie D. Babcock, 19th century clergyman and author
• Union Major General Henry A. Barnum (1833-1892), recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Amos P. Granger, became a General following the War of 1812
• John A. Green, a General and Utica native who served as Brigadier General in the Civil War
• William Jervis Hough, attorney, a General in the New York Militia of Cazenovia, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and a Representative in the United States Congress (1845-1847).
• Jesse Truesdell Peck, a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
• Joseph Lyman Silsbee, architect
• Union Major General Edwin Vose Sumner (1797-1863)
• Comfort Tyler (1764-1827), early pioneer in Syracuse, New York

External links

• Oakwood Cemetery

References