Walking tour: Trees of Forest Home

Join us for a peaceful morning stroll through the magnificent Forest Home Cemetery Arboretum. Using clues such as leaf identification, bark texture, seed type, and tree shape, we will identify some of the special trees in our collection.

Conifers and deciduous trees! Acorns and pods! Strangely-shaped leaves! Let's see what we can find on the trees and on the ground.

Your guide will lead you through winding paths of our historic garden cemetery, sharing the unique characteristics and significance of various species. Did you know that some of our trees predate the cemetery? We'll also stop to admire some fascinating stones with a nod to trees and a Native American mound.

Whether you're a nature enthusiast, history buff or simply someone seeking solace in the midst of greenery, our tour offers a fun escape into the embrace of Mother Nature.

Date: Sun, Aug 04, 2024

Time: 10:30 AM

Location: Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum

ABOUT YOUR GUIDE

Sally Kubly is a guide with a passion for trees. With a Master Gardener Certification, board service at Forest Home and Boerner Botanical Gardens, plus membership with a local garden club, she enjoys tree identification and has a special fondness for Forest Home, with numerous family member burials here. She has a background in Clinical Social Work and currently works as a Career Coach in private practice. Past professional work includes serving as an Adjunct Professor at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Important information:

• Because this is a Super Sunday, you will be able to purchase Forest Home coffee (Cemetery Grounds), Silent City Honey (made by our bees), Green Burial ("100% biodegradable") shirts and Forest Home books.
  
• This 1.5-mile walking tour moves at a brisk pace over uneven cemetery roads and grounds. Please wear comfortable footwear and watch your step! Our tour guides have a lot to share and are on a tight timeline, so please try to stick together.
  
• This tour will run rain or shine and will only be canceled in the event of a dangerous weather event. Tickets are non-refundable.
  
• Meet in front of Halls of History (see map). Plan to arrive about 10 minutes before your tour and check in with your guide. You do not need to bring your registration confirmation.
  
• Please note the Forest Home Avenue gate is closed on Sundays, so please use the main entrance on Lincoln Avenue. On Sundays, you may park wherever you like, including in front of the office.
  
• After your tour, please take a moment to review us on Google reviews or TripAdvisor.
  
• Proceeds from all tours and events help preserve and enhance the historical and natural elements of the cemetery.

Map: Where to enter, park and meet

ABOUT FOREST HOME CEMETERY & ARBORETUM

Established in 1850, Forest Home Cemetery is Milwaukee’s oldest operating cemetery, open to all since its inception. Forest Home Cemetery is on the National Registry of Historic Places and is the finest example of a Victorian-era rural garden cemetery in the Upper Midwest.

In 2021, Forest Home became the city’s first accredited arboretum, Milwaukee’s largest green space with more 2,600 trees on nearly 200 acres.

Our 189 acres are open daily to the public. Leashed dogs, jogging, strollers and bicycles are welcome. Each year, we host public and private historical and nature-based tours and wellness events, birding opportunities, Doors Open, a Memorial Day event, a Dia de los Muertos 5K and festival and our new Spirits of the Silent City after-dark historical tours. Sign up for our newsletter on the website and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (use #foresthomecemetery) so you don’t miss any of our tours and events!

If you enjoy our beautiful space, stay longer! Stop in the office Monday-Friday 8-4:30 and Saturday 10-3:30 or call a counselor (414) 645-2632 to find out about our many burial options.

Host or Publisher Forest Home Historic Preservation Assoc.