Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation

Volunteers have been caring for Syracuse’s Oakwood Cemetery since 1991, when Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation was founded as an all-volunteer organization. The cemetery covers nearly 160 acres beside the Syracuse University campus, and the group works to maintain it, raise money to repair damaged monuments and share its stories with the public.

Each spring volunteers gather for a cleanup day called Scour the Past to undo the damage of winter, and guided tours began in 1992 as a way to show off what is essentially an outdoor museum. The group also publishes a semi-annual newsletter about its work.

What to Know

• Oakwood Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, thanks to the group’s efforts.
• Guided tours of the cemetery are offered during the warmer months.
• Scour the Past is the spring volunteer cleanup, open to members and non-members alike.
• The cemetery sits next to Syracuse University.
• The organization is made up entirely of volunteers.