Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx is one of those untapped gems you have to do a little extra traveling for, but is worth the effort. Opened in 1863, Woodlawn Cemetery encompasses 400 acres of landscaped hills, paths and mausoleums worthy of royalty, designed for New York’s elite to match their Fifth Avenue mansions. The Cemetery is one of the Historic District Council’s “Six to Celebrate” this year. And on Saturday, the Woodlawn Conservancy, HDC and Women of Woodlawn will host a scavenger hunt across five themed trails:
TRAIL #1 Architecture: Search the cemetery for monuments and mausolea designed by New York’s great architects – McKim Mead & White, Carrere & Hastings, and many more.
TRAIL #2 Trains: Find the spectacular mausolea of the infamous robber barons who built America’s railways.
TRAIL #3 Messages in Stone: Look for the beautiful carved flowers, butterflies, birds and trees that are featured on Woodlawn’s unusual monuments.
TRAIL #4 Faces of Woodlawn: Discover the stories of some colorful New York characters as you locate their portraits in bronze, marble, and glass.
TRAIL #5 Great Glass: Peep inside some of the great tombs to locate the wonderful windows that light up in the afternoon sunshine.
Register your team (up to 4 people) in advance or on the day of the event. After the hunt, refreshments will be served at the Rambling House, a pub in Woodlawn Heights.