Gardner Museum of Architecture & Design

332 Maine St. • Quincy, IL  62301
Phone: (217) 224-6873 • Fax: (217) 224-0006

Woodland Cemetery Tours

Perhaps it is pure fancy but many people claim to hear the whispers of those buried at Woodland Cemetery when they wander among the elaborate stone markers.  Voices ask us to linger and examine the symbols on the monuments that give clues to their interests, occupations and beliefs.  We invite you to hear their stories at the Gardner Museum’s Woodland Cemetery tour held on Sunday, October 29.  Some of the inhabitants in block 12 have shared secrets that will be revealed by costumed interpreters during a guided tour of the site.

For fifteen years the Gardner Museum has hosted tours of Woodland to introduce visitors to the beauty of this cemetery.  Even though many local people already know of its historic and aesthetic significance, their beliefs were corroborated when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Begun in 1847, Woodland was designed to be a haven for those who were grieving by providing a place with beautiful river views and majestic trees to help heal the bitterness of death.   Today many Quincyans walk and bike through the cemetery to enjoy the grounds and the variety of monuments that mark the burials.  

Block 12 is the section that runs north from the entrance toward Jefferson along South 5th Street.  There we will hear the voices of saloonkeepers, architects, and political figures, among others.  Expect to hear Harvey Chatten, an important local architect, boast of his accomplishments including the design and construction of Richard and Anna Newcomb’s home now known as the Quincy Museum.   Friedrich Jarand will share the pain and sorrow he felt that drove him to commit suicide in April 1882 and the Pfanschmidt family will reveal the events that led to the murder of their entire family on September 1912.  Many others will tell their tales during a tour that will last approximately 30 minutes. 

On Sunday, October 29, the tours will be held every twenty minutes beginning at 5:00 p.m with the final tour at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are free for members, six dollars for adults and four for children ages twelve through three.  Tours will begin at the entrance of Woodland along South 5th Street.  Call the museum at 224-6873 to reserve a space - leave your name, phone number, the number of people in your party, and what time you would like to take the tour; walkups will be accommodated. 

Tour Times Are:

5:00pm, 5:20pm, 5:40pm, 6:00pm, 6:20pm, 6:40pm, 7:00pm, 7:20pm, 7:40pm, and 8:00pm

Photos from the 2005 Woodland Cemetery Tour

Karen	Elizabeth & Dulaney
Oliver & Kimberly	Noel & Chuck