Upstate New York's Serene Historic Cemetery Offers A Hauntingly Beautiful Escape Into The Past

In the heart of Syracuse, the food and art paradise of Central New York, bustling city life blends into the tranquil embrace of history in Oakwood Cemetery. This sprawling 160 acres of pastoral refuge was founded in 1859 and became a significant historical monument over the years. The cemetery was designed by New York City landscape gardener Howard Daniels, and most of its current layout remains unchanged from Daniels' vision.

As one of the pioneering landscape gardeners of the country, Daniels envisioned the cemetery as more than simply a burial ground. He intended it to transform into a scenic sanctuary, blending nature and art, where the spiritual well-being of the living, ornate architectural designs, and a tranquil resting place for the deceased can harmoniously converge. Daniels' work in rural cemeteries extended throughout the Northeast, including Brookside in Watertown, New York and Spring Forest in Binghamton, New York. Oakwood Cemetery was known as his final and most distinguished masterpiece.

The cemetery is located near Syracuse University, and the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association offers maps and guided tours for visitors to explore the rare tree species nurtured inside and learn more about the war veterans who are honored here. But you don't strictly have to be a history buff to appreciate the all-expansive charms of this serene cemetery. You can simply take a stroll through the Blue Trail, also known as the Oakwood Cemetery Landscape Trail, which spans through lush green pastures, rolling hills, and scenic vistas. Additionally, you can also take part in ghost walks in the cemetery, hosted by the Onondaga Historical Association and the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association multiple times in a year. For more nostalgic adventures in the nearby area, visit the Great New York State Fair, known as America's oldest state fair.

Oakwood Cemetery opened with its first burial in November 1859, when Mrs. Nellie G. Williamson was laid to rest, marking the beginning of what would become a home to over 60,000 souls. The first monument of the cemetery was constructed for James Crouse a little later, during the winter months of 1859 and 1960. Since then, several towering monuments and intricate mausoleums, evoking the grandeur of Victorian Syracuse, have been erected in the cemetery, turning it into an outdoor museum of funerary sculpture and architecture, similar to Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery, which also features a botanical garden and views of the Statue of Liberty.

While navigating the living tapestry of history in Oakwood Cemetery, you can follow the guided trail maps of Syracuse Community Geography, which offers 11 distinct trails. Some trails begin outside the cemetery, including Morningside Cultural Trail, which launches from Barry Park. This Red Trail serves as an introduction to area landmarks before concluding inside the area. Another newly introduced Oakwood Flat Trail is accessible to all visitors, guiding them past 24 mausoleums while exploring the legacies of the notable individuals buried here.

If you are exploring the area on a self-guided tour, you'll find everything from Gothic revival towers to Egyptian-style pyramids, such as the imposing Longstreet Mausoleum, a 70-foot-tall pyramid where the remains of the Longstreet family are interred. Nearby, you'll discover the Romanesque Crouse Mausoleum, which was designed by H.Q. French for John Crouse, one of the city's wealthiest residents. Oakwood also shelters the stories of visionaries like Rev. Jesse Truesdell Peck, a founder of Syracuse University, and Herbert H. Franklin, an automobile pioneer. Three generations of famous Green family members, including Civil War general John A. Green and his wife, Jane, are also laid to rest here.