Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery Celebrates 175th Anniversary

At Forest Lawn, every grave has a story.

This year, the cemetery aims to tell them about it.

A treasured icon of the American rural cemetery movement, Forest Lawn is set to host a yearlong celebration to commemorate its 175th anniversary, beginning with a fundraising gala on Aug. 10.

Serving as a reliquary of Buffalo’s past, Julie R. Snyder sees it as an opportunity to not only honor the city’s history, but also look to Forest Lawn’s future.

“One hundred and seventy-five years is too much to cover in one event or one celebration,” said Snyder, CEO of Forest Lawn Cemetery Group and the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation. “I think because Forest Lawn is such an iconic place in the city’s history, we wanted to focus equally on our past, our present and our future.”

Forest Lawn encompasses lands that border Delaware Avenue, Main Street, Delavan Avenue and the Scajaquada Expressway. It has been an active public cemetery for more than a century, home to more than 100,000 people, according to the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation.

The Aug. 10 gala event marks the exact date that Buffalo attorney Charles E. Clark and his wife Mary Anna purchased 80 acres from the Granger family of Buffalo to establish the cemetery in 1849, according to the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation.

Although the cemetery has been the final resting place for thousands of people throughout Buffalo’s history, Snyder notes that the cemetery still has room for future residents.

“When you think about Forest Lawn 25 years from now, we still want to be an active cemetery,” Snyder said. “Some people think we’re full, but we’re not. We have plenty of space and we want to continue to be stewards of our permanent residents, but we also really have to think about our future.”

Forest Lawn’s anniversary also marks the release of “Pensive Beauty: Visions of Forest Lawn, Buffalo’s First Rural Cemetery,” featuring a book signing by author Melissa Banta and photographer Andy Olenick.

Banta, curator of projects at Harvard University’s Weissman Preservation Center, wrote in an email that as a Buffalo native, she was thrilled to be asked to write the book, focusing on the cemetery’s “extraordinary cultural landscape,” while Forest Lawn archivist John Edens helped guide her through the historical collections.

“The center has a wealth of materials including burial records, photographs, prints, maps, monument plans, guidebooks and genealogical records that provide a window into the history of Forest Lawn,” Banta said. “It was especially inspiring to read the eloquent words of the cemetery’s founders and the forward-thinking vision they had for Forest Lawn.”

Edens, who will be recognized at the gala for his longtime work as the cemetery’s archivist, noted that Forest Lawn is still learning new stories about the people buried there.

“This is a cemetery for everyone,” Edens said. “We continue to learn more about the people buried here, not just the most famous ones, but maybe people no one has ever heard of before, who had interesting lives and did interesting things.”

Olenick told The News that the book, years in the making, captures not only the historical significance of Forest Lawn, but also the significance of a place that regularly welcomes visitors. It’s a popular spot for runners and walkers, artists and even picnickers.

“People use the cemetery as a park,” Olenick said. “That’s unusual for a cemetery system because the average cemetery doesn’t have the features, layout or outlook of Forest Lawn. So it stands on its own.”

Forest Lawn’s anniversary celebration also highlights national leaders embedded in the city’s history.

The cemetery will unveil a new statue honoring Shirley Chisholm, one of the cemetery’s most famous “permanent residents,” who was the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress and the first to run for president.

Other notable events include new tours, authors, guest speakers and tree planting events.

The public is invited to participate in Forest Lawn’s 175th anniversary celebration. All proceeds from the gala, sales of “Pensive Beauty” and events throughout the year will benefit the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation to help preserve the cemetery grounds.

As the cemetery prepares for a special anniversary, Snyder believes Forest Lawn’s legacy is shaped by the people who are buried there and the meaningful connections they have.

“All 170,000 people here have incredible stories about their lives, their losses, their struggles and their connections to Buffalo,” Snyder said. “Families today and those who are no longer here are still coming back.”