HELP PRESERVE THE WOODLANDS
Change is constant, even in a historic cemetery.
A PLACE TO REST IN PEACE
The Woodlands holds so much for so many. Families learn about birds of prey and the life cycles of pollinators here. Daily walkers connect with friends on the running path. Students read under weeping willows and go on first dates that, on occasion, turn into a wedding at the cemetery. Neighbors bury loved ones and then return to place stones and flowers on their graves.
Life can feel long and short in this 21st century. But the 18th-century buildings and 19th-century landscape remind us that change happens constantly. We are planning changes to ensure The Woodlands remains for future generations.
We hope you'll support this place you love.
Jessica Baumert, Executive Director & The Woodlands Board and Staff
325+ visitors joined a walk led by Bernard Brown at Nature Nights: Bat Night in September. PHOTO BY RYAN COLLERD.
PRESERVATION WITH PURPOSE
Capital projects transform The Woodlands while honoring the original legacy and design of the site. When we plan for preservation projects, we consider the past 200 years while envisioning the site needs of centuries to come.
“This place will outlast us” is a phrase that guides us as we steward The Woodlands. We expect that The Woodlands’ historic resources will be here once we are all long gone, and we plan preservation projects with that future in mind. There is no better setting to ponder this than in the middle of a cemetery. This year's restoration projects ranged from installing a new roof with a 100-year lifespan to tending to an aging window. Every endeavor serves a purpose, now and into the future.
1 The Hamilton Stable Roof Replacement Project, with a 19th-century-inspired design, is the next step in the long-term plan to transition The Woodlands' offices to the Stable.
2 Two experienced volunteers, Joe Shapiro & Marlene Goeke, reinstalled a restored Fanlight Window in the Drawing Room after repairing muntins and re-glazing. PHOTO BY JESSICA BAUMERT.
3 The 18th-century steps to the Hamilton Mansion needed re-pointing. Jessica Baumert, Executive Director, & Marlene Goeke, volunteer preservationist took on the project in June. PHOTO BY
PHOTO BY RYAN COLLERD.
HANN DALY.
A PLACE TO GATH ER
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2 3
We hear a common refrain from visitors: "The Woodlands is my special place." For neighbors, the 54 acres of cemetery landscape offers a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, a space to celebrate milestones, witness a celestial occurrence, get a little spooky, and find a favorite shady spot to sit. 4
1 Over 500 people flocked to the cemetery and safely looked to the skies during the April 8 Solar Eclipse sighting.
2 The Woodlands' Volunteer Grave Gardener Program will celebrate a decade of growth in the spring of 2025.
3 The Tuesday Tidy Up Crew complete weekly landscape and facilities projects across the cemetery. PHOTO BY
4 Our small and mighty staff celebrated at the Annual Benefit with 250+ supporters, our most successful to date. PHOTO BY
PHOTO BY HANN DALY.
PHOTO BY RYAN COLLERD.
ROBIN RICK.
RYAN COLLERD.
4000 Woodland Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Support the space you love.
LEARN MORE: givetothewoodlands.org
Cover: The Cret gates after dawn. PHOTO BY REBECCA AKER.
