The next meeting of the East Bronx History Forum will be held on Wednesday evening, October 15, at 7:30 p.m.. The guest speaker will be Susan Olsen of Woodlawn Cemetery and her topic will be “What Woodlawn has to offer a Historian: An insider’s look at the amazing archives of Woodlawn.” It will be a PowerPoint presentation with handouts.
Woodlawn Cemetery opened at the close of the Civil War in 1865 and since that time has become the repository of the remains of some of our nation’s most important luminaries. From Nellie Bly and Bat Masterson to Collis P. Huntington and R. H. Macy, leaders in all fields of society have found their final resting site at Woodlawn. George M. Cohan is there as are Victor Herbert, W. C. Handy, Duke Ellington, Vernon and Irene Castle, and even Augustus Julliard and Franz Kreisler. Others interred or entombed there include F. W. Woolworth, J. C. Penney, Franklin Simon and so many other fascinating people including some colorful local politicians like Fiorello
The records of Woodlawn Cemetery include fascinating bits of information not found elsewhere. The information requested on their record cards has changed over the years but contains information valuable to the researcher and historian.
The forum meetings are open to the public and there is no admission charge. Susan Olsen is the ultimate authority on the history of Woodlawn and an animated and knowledgeable speaker. Some readers may have had the pleasure of attending some of her walking tours and will welcome this additional opportunity to learn from a master. The forum meetings are held at the historical Huntington Free Library conveniently located at 9 Westchester Square. The library can be found next to the Apple Bank for Savings just south of Benson Street. Should you need further directions, you may contact Catherine McChesney, the librarian, at (718) 829-7770.
