05/26/2026
🌳 In May 1841 — 185 years ago this month — lot clearing began at Woodland Cemetery, one of the nation's oldest rural garden cemeteries.
🍂 Today, more than 3,000 trees shade the graves of some of Dayton’s most influential figures, including aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright, inventor Charles F. Kettering, poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, and humorist Erma Bombeck. They are also celebrated at Carillon Historical Park.
🧺 In the 19th century, Woodland became far more than a cemetery. Its rolling hills and landscaped grounds served as one of Dayton’s few park-like retreats, drawing families for Sunday picnics and outings. By 1867, officials had to restrict Sunday visits because crowds were damaging flowers and shrubbery.
✈️ Woodland also became deeply tied to the Wright family. When Wilbur Wright died in 1912, thousands lined Dayton’s streets for his funeral procession, and the city paused for three minutes of silence to honor one of the fathers of flight.
🏛️ Over the decades, Woodland expanded to more than 200 acres and evolved into both a historic landmark and an arboretum.
📸 Wilbur Wright funeral entering Woodland Cemetery on June 1, 1912.
✅ Become a member — keep the Dayton region's world-changing history alive for future generations! 👉 daytonhistory.org.
