Preservation Detroit Elmwood Cemetery Tour 2026

Dedicated in 1846, Elmwood Cemetery on the near east side of Detroit is one of Michigan’s most significant
cemeteries.
About this Event

Preservation Detroit Elmwood Cemetery Tour 2026

$30 Members, advance purchase only

$35 Non-members, advance purchase only

Join us for one of our Historic Detroit Cemetery tours scheduled for each weekend in October. Learn about the notable Detroiters who are buried in metro Detroit cemeteries. Hear the stories behind the famous (and infamous) buried within these cemeteries. Marvel at the historic art and architecture of the mausoleums and monuments.

Elmwood Cemetery on the near east side of Detroit is one of Michigan’s most significant cemeteries. Dedicated in 1846, Elmwood is Detroit’s oldest still-operating nondenominational cemetery and was one of the first racially integrated cemeteries in the Midwest. In the 1890s, under the guidance of noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Elmwood’s trustees took measures to preserve the cemetery’s rural character and inspire calm contemplation of nature. It’s also a certified arboretum one of the few places in Detroit where you can get a sense of the original terrain of the city before urbanization. It is the final resting place of mayors, governors, veterans of every war since the Revolution, abolitionists and countless notable Detroiters, including Lewis Cass, Coleman Young, Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg, Fred “Sonic” Smith, and Bernhard Stroh, creator of the Stroh’s family of beers.

This Sunday tour starts at 1:30pm. Meet inside the front gates. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the tour, which runs two hours. Parking is available in the Calvary Baptist church lot on the west side of the fence near the gatehouse; limited disability parking is available in front of the office. Note that the Elmwood Cemetery gates close at 4 p.m., so please arrive early if you’d like extra time to explore the cemetery.

This is a walking tour; the terrain is often hilly and uneven, so wear sensible shoes and dress for the weather. All tours take place rain or shine. No professional photography or tripods, please.

By purchasing ticket(s), I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms outlined in the following liability release: https://preservationdetroit.org/liabilityrelease

Walk-up tickets will NOT be available for these tours. You must purchase your tickets online…these tours WILL sell out! Advance ticket purchases are available until 6pm the Saturday before the tour. Tickets may be refunded up to 7 days prior to the date of a tour; after that, tickets are not refundable.

Note to GPS users: There is an Elmwood street in SW Detroit (off of Vernor). This is the incorrect location for the cemetery. If you are navigating to the tour using GPS, type in the full cemetery name or 1200 Robert Bradby Drive (the actual street name).