Forest Lawn is celebrating the 175th anniversary of its founding
On August 10th, 1849, Buffalo attorney and civic leader Charles E. Clarke and his wife Mary Anna purchased eighty acres from the descendants of Erastus Granger for the purpose of establishing a new type of cemetery, a rural cemetery away from the center of the city. One hundred seventy five years later Forest Lawn continues to be a unique place, beloved for its beauty and serenity.
This anniversary year extends from the 175th anniversary of the cemetery’s founding to July 12, 2025, the 175th anniversary of the day when John Lay Jr. became the first to be buried in the new cemetery.
Four historical timelines and Forest Lawn’s latest book Pensive Beauty: Visions of Forest Lawn, Buffalo’s First Rural Cemetery celebrate Forest Lawn’s history and its service to the Western New York community.
