Oakwood Cemetery Mausoleums, Syracuse, New York

Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York is a 160-acre historic cemetery dating back to 1859. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Designed by Howard Daniels in 1859, Oakwood Cemetery is an important part of the history of Syracuse, with a number of noteworthy interments, as well as some notable private and family mausoleums.

History of Oakwood Cemetery

In 1840, Rose Hill Cemetery was the main cemetery serving Syracuse. Rose Hill only covered 11.8 acres, and people quickly became dissatisfied with the cemetery due to its inaccessibility, the fact that it couldn’t be easily improved, and the lack of natural beauty. By the early 1850s, a group of prominent men in Syracuse had begun looking for grounds that could become a new cemetery. Their goal was to create a rural garden cemetery similar to Mount Auburn and other rural cemeteries gaining prominence on the East Coast.

The initial 72 acres of land for Oakwood Cemetery were purchased in 1857, with an additional 20 acres acquired the following year. The cemetery committee engaged Howard Daniels, a landscape architect from New York City, to create the initial landscape design and lay out the cemetery grounds. The original 92 acres included about 60 acres of dense oak forest from which the cemetery takes its name. 60 laborers, with no large-scale earth moving equipment, prepared the grounds in just two months, largely by thinning and grouping the trees. In 1859, the committee purchased additional acreage; first 30 acres, and then another 25; giving the cemetery plenty of room to grow.

Oakwood Cemetery was dedicated in November of 1859. Many local offices and schools closed so employees and scholars could attend the dedication. The first interment occurred just five days later. Oakwood Cemetery was a success very quickly after its dedication, with thousands of visitors leading to the establishment of omnibus service directly to the gates of the cemetery. Lots in Oakwood Cemetery cost $8 for adults and $5 for children, with $1 requested to open a tomb.

Interment in Oakwood Cemetery – Private and Family Mausoleums

While Oakwood Cemetery is technically still listed as an “active” cemetery today, it is known primarily for its historic status. Oakwood is home to several noteworthy mausoleums and monuments, including private mausoleums and family mausoleums dating back to mid-to-late 19th century. Some of the most noteworthy of these private family mausoleums include:

• Cornelius Smith Mausoleum: The Cornelius Smith Mausoleum is a Classical Beaux-Arts style mausoleum that features four Corinthian columns projecting from the facade, and a number of squared-off Corinthian columns that ring the building.
• Longstreet Mausoleum: The Longstreet Mausoleum is a private mausoleum built in the Egyptian style. The exterior of the mausoleum is a towering pyramid, while the interior initially held elegantly carved tablets, sculpture and a Persian rug. The tomb has since been sealed due to vandalism.
• Wieting Mausoleum: The Wieting Mausoleum, built in 1880, features a very unique design. Some speculate that this family mausoleum is based on the design of a Tibetan, East Indian, or Chinese Stupa; a design often used to surmount tombstones and burial chambers in China. This mausoleum was an elegant structure when it was built, but nature has encroached, lending it a romantic, scruffy appearance today.
• Crouse Mausoleum: John Crouse, one of the wealthiest men in Syracuse, had this private mausoleum designed prior to his death by architect H.Q. French of New York. The Crouse Mausoleum is largely Romanesque Revival in structure, but certain details suggest the influence of Philadelphia architect Frank Furness.

As a member of the National Register of Historic Places, Oakwood Cemetery is well worth a visit. The Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association offers several tours that can guide you to noteworthy family mausoleums and private mausoleums, and truly gain an appreciation for the grounds of what is still today an important example of the 19th century rural cemetery style.
[Dachary Carey] Google+