NYC Urban Sketchers Blog

WEEKDAY AND WESTCHESTER GROUPS AT WOOD LAWN CEMETERY

Cemeteries are great sketching sites: large open spaces, interesting architecture and wonderful landscapes. And Wood Lawn has it all! Join us for a day of sketching in this historic yet contemporary landmark of NYC.   

For more information about Woodlawn Cemetery, click here: https://www.woodlawn.org

Grand Mausoleums

Woodlawn Cemetery was opened in the mid - late 1800's at the time of the Victorian Era which had a deep culture of funeral architecture and customs.  The mausoleums built during this era remain as monuments to the families whose loved ones are buried here. 

The landscape is designed by Frederick Olmsted, who attracted the top architects at the time to create the mausoleums for the wealthy families who owned plots in the cemetery. 

Watch this episode of The Worlds Greatest Cemeteries for a tour of the cemetery and information about some of the notablesburied here and their monuments: 

.https://www.thirteen.org/programs/worlds-greatest-cemeteries/woodlawn-cemetery-bronx-ny-s6vt8r/

Notable People 

Established in 1863 as a final resting place for New Yorkers of means, it now has over 320,000 interments with many notables in politics, industry and the arts and is designated as a  National  Historic Landmark.  Some of the interments of note:  Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, W.C. Handy, Fiorello La Guardia, Bat Masterson, Herman Melville and F.W. Woolworth,

For more information about this: https://www.woodlawn.org/conservancy/notable-residents/

Great Trees 

The New York City Parks department has a program that identifies the great trees in the city.  Woodlawn Cemetery house 5 of these trees, with the Weeping Beech being extremely magnificent.  Be sure to find this tree and walk through the umbrella of leaves to the trunk to examine how large this tree is. 

For a map of the cemetery with the great trees identified, click here: https://www.woodlawn.org/tree-map/

Weeping Beech

DATE: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2023

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATAION: Woodlawn Cemetery

                          4199 Webster Ave Bronx, New York 10470. 

                           We will meet at the Chapel near the Jerome Ave entrance

DIRECTIONS: 

By Metro North 

Metro North Railroad From Grand Central Station: Take the Harlem Line local train (North White Plains). Exit at Woodlawn Station. At top of stairs, turn right. Cemetery Webster office is to the left across the street.

By Subway

Subway: Take the #4 train (Lexington Avenue express or local) to the end of line – Woodlawn Station. At base of station, walk about ½ block. Jerome Avenue entrance is on the right. Or, take the #2 or #5 train to 233rd Street Station. Walk 3 blocks along 233rd, downhill. Cross over Webster Avenue. The cemetery entrance is on the left.

By Car:  Please check a map program.

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at Rayliedunkel1@gmail.com or Cathy Gutterman at cathygutterman@verizon.net
• Looking for us? Call or text Raylie at 201-24-0445 or Cathy at 914 625 0766
• We will meet by the chapel near the Jerome Street Entrance.  See map below.
• Bathrooms and water are available 
• There is no food service in the cemetery.  Bring your lunch and snacks with you
• You can work in watercolor
• Bring a stool
• As a reminder, be respectful of the grave sites. If using a stool, please do not set it up on a grave. Use the walkways or ground that is not a grave site. 
• We will gather for lunch and a show and tell at 1:00 PM