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A Special Message to Our Community
First and foremost we take the health and safety of our families, our employees and anyone who enters our grounds very seriously. We continue to follow and track the guidelines being developed by the CDC and state health care authorities, including social distancing best practices and requirements.
Please know that we respect the decision of any family member who wishes to connect with us remotely rather than in person during this time. We will have limited staff able to answer calls at our offices during normal business hours, 313-567-3453. We encourage you to email the office through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at your convenience with any question. We will respond as quickly as possible.
We at Elmwood are proud to have been serving the Metro Detroit community since 1846, and we will continue to do so. Please stay healthy!
Seasonal Feature
Elmwood is excited to offer community events!
Come and explore the grounds with us. We offer guided birding, tours, a tree identification class and more. Pursue your interests or let us help you find new ones. Delve into the past with us at Elmwood Cemetery where Detroit’s history endures.
In addition to our regular events, are special events include celebrating Arbor Day, Memorial Day, the Kids Fun Run on October 8th, our All Souls Service, 39th Annual Veterans Day.
Please join us. Be sure to check our events and tours pages!
Tree Tours
Elmwood Cemetery is Detroit’s First Certified Arboretum!
In 2015, Morton Arboretum and the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program announced Elmwood’s arboretum was certified as a Level 1 Accreditation. The Morton Arboretum said Elmwood achieved “particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens … and is now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboretum.” As part of this process, Elmwood’s trees were surveyed and tagged, creating a detailed report of the species, location and condition of each of its trees. This has verified that Elmwood has practiced sound management in its care and reforestation of the 91 species among its 1,450 trees.
“The cemetery’s trustees have provided our grounds maintenance team with the resources necessary to properly maintain our collection of trees,” said Michael Shukwit, director of operations for Elmwood Cemetery. “With this certification, that commitment will continue and we plan on planting no less than 400 trees over the next ten years.”
Sandy McMillan said, “The cemetery’s certification as an arboretum is an important step in our education and outreach programs.” Late this winter, we placed identification signs adjacent to some of the trees. The Foundation offers tree tours that highlight the history of the cemetery as well as the different species of trees across our 86 acres.
Elmwood is partnering with Greening of Detroit on its reforestation plans and is offering Elmwood as an outdoor classroom to the forestry program with Greening of Detroit.
In 2017, the Historic Elmwood Foundation developed self-guided tree tours for the arboretum. The tours are separated into three geographic areas and identify different species of flowering, deciduous and evergreen trees. They are intended to permit visitors to walk different areas of the cemetery and learn about a variety of species while enjoying Elmwood’s park-like environment. On each of the featured trees we have placed a tree identification plaque that contains the scientific name, common English name, and a QR code to be used with smart electronic devices. The QR code will link the visitor to additional information about the species. With continued reforestation management, Elmwood now has over 100 species of trees across its property.
Here are links to Elmwood’s self-guided tree tour maps:
Elmwood Tree Tour Southern Sections
Elmwood Tree Tour Center Sections
Elmwood Tree Tour Northern Sections
View our accreditation certificate here: Elmwood Arboretum Accreditation
National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
Elmwood Cemetery has been recognized as a significant site for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom by the National Parks Service of the United States Department of the Interior. Elmwood’s certificate of acceptance acknowledges that Elmwood Cemetery and the Historic Elmwood Foundation make a significant contribution to the understanding of the Underground Railroad in American History.
The application process was thorough and Elmwood clearly identified the many key members of the Underground Railroad Network who are buried in Elmwood and the various educational opportunities available to the public. These include our guided tours, self-guided tours, biographies, and markers - available to the public through our knowledgable staff and our website.
Elmwood would like to thank Carol E. Mull, Gabrielle Lucci, and Joan Frear Capuano for their work with Déanda Johnson, Midwest Regional Coordinator for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
In 2020 Elmwood expanded its educational offerings to include a self-guided tour map identifying the locations of those who participated in or supported the underground railroad network to freedom. The Association of the Study of African American Life and History funded the grant which was completed in collaboration with the National Park Service.
Click here for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom map.