Preservation Detroit Woodlawn Cemetery Tour 2025

Preservation Detroit Woodlawn Cemetery Tour 2025

Join us for one of our Historic Detroit Cemetery tours this October. Learn about the notable Detroiters who are buried in our city’s cemeteries. Hear the stories behind the famous (and infamous) buried within Detroit’s cemeteries. Marvel at the historic art and architecture of the mausoleums and headstones.

[photo credit Kathleen Marcaccio]

$30 Members, advance purchase only

$35 Non-members, advance purchase only

Woodlawn Cemetery on the north side of Detroit along Woodward Avenue near 8 Mile Road is the final resting place of many of Detroit's notable citizens. From the eccentric Dodge Brothers to the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Woodlawn's extensive and beautiful grounds have welcomed a wide variety of Detroiters, including Mayors Hazen Pingree, James Couzens, and Albert Cobo; auto magnates Roy Chapin, K.T. Keller, and Edsel Ford; philanthropists Tracy and Katharine Whitney McGregor; business owners Frank Hecker, J.L. Hudson, Fred Sanders, and Matilda Dodge Wilson; civil rights activist Rosa Parks; plus numerous Motown, gospel, and hip-hop stars, entertainers, and sports figures.

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 to three hours. Parking is available inside the cemetery. This is a walking tour, although driving is required to get to some sites in the cemetery. 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.

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.

Host or Publisher Preservation Detroit