Walking tour: Funerary Art & Symbolism

Forest Home Cemetery

2405 West Forest Home Avenue, 53215, Milwaukee, WI, United States

Forest Home Historic Preservation Association

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Established in 1850, Forest Home Cemetery is a touchstone to Milwaukee's proud past. As Milwaukee prospered and expanded, the cemetery became the final resting place for 26 mayors, more than 1,000 Civil War veterans and countless prominent people who left their marks on Milwaukee’s history.Along with the stories it tells about our history, Forest Home's scenic grounds make it a fascinating destination. Well before there were public parks, the property was one of the first landscaped sites in Milwaukee offering a natural respite. Designed by Increase A. Lapham, known as Wisconsin's first naturalist, it is considered one of the finest examples of a rural garden cemetery in the Upper Midwest. Cemeteries such as Forest Home are rare, distinguished by thousands of opulent Victorian-era funerary monuments and majestic mausoleums. The cemetery grounds are a resource for the living, where visitors can enjoy towering trees, a peaceful lake, soothing fountains, and glimpses of wildlife.