Research Research Services
The staff of The Woodlawn Cemetery will help you access information found in the millions of records that provide details about those in our care, the memorials on our grounds and the history of the cemetery. Records associated with interment, lot ownership and locations are kept at Woodlawn. Historic records documenting memorial designs and the development of the cemetery were donated to the Avery Architectural and Fine Art Library at Columbia University in 2006.
Confirm a Burial
Contact us by email at research@thewoodlawncemetery.org or phone at (718) 920-0500, and we will confirm if the individual(s) of interest are at Woodlawn. We will provide you with an estimate of what it will cost to obtain their records.
Obtain Burial Records
The Woodlawn Cemetery charges:
$51 for the first record associated with copying interment records and lot cards and for photographing memorials.
$10 for each additional person.
Fill out our research request form, and we will send you an estimate of the cost for pulling and copying the records.
Obtain Memorial Records
The Woodlawn Cemetery charges:
$51 for the first record associated with copying memorial records and lot cards and for photographing memorials
$10 for each additional memorial.
We can gather information for you from the burial records kept at the cemetery or from our archives at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University. Fill out our research request form, and we will process your request.
Visiting Gravesites
Please contact us before you arrive at our administrative office so that we can pull your records in advance. We provide a copy of the lot card and directions to the gravesite free of charge when you come in person. As a courtesy to our daily funeral services, we ask you arrive before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m.
Doing a Research Project
We welcome students, scholars and family historians who wish to come on site to research The Woodlawn Cemetery and those in our care. Let us know about your project, what records you are interested in and how we can help you before you visit. Email us at research@thewoodlawncemetery.org.
Using Our Archives
The cemetery does not allow researchers to access our archives, but we will pull the records before you visit. We charge $50 an hour for staff time associated with organizing records and making copies. To make an appointment, email us at research@thewoodlawncemetery.org. You can search the catalog of records stored at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library or obtain information about making an appointment by clicking on: library.columbia.edu/indiv/avery/da/collections/woodlawn.html.
Share Your Research
We welcome all researchers to share their discoveries and family history with the cemetery. If you would like to include information in our growing biography database or include a veteran's name on our roster, email us at research@thewoodlawncemetery.org.
