Milwaukee’s Historic Forest Home Cemetery

Special Coverage

“What lies buried beneath the trees of Forest Home is the foundation of Milwaukee.” – John Gurda, Milwaukee historian

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church purchased 72 acres at the edge of Milwaukee in 1849 to create Forest Home Cemetery (map), a public gift for the young immigrant city. It was created as an eternal resting place for all who had settled there. Since the first burial in August 1850, the grounds have included such historic individuals as the city’s founders and developers, mayors, beer barons, industrialists, pioneering women, and Civil War casualties. It also has enough capacity to continue serving Milwaukee for the next 100 years. Milwaukee Independent has reported on this private institution for over a decade, documenting some of the vast personal stories in images and interviews. mkeind.com/foresthome