THE WOODLANDS DIGITAL TOURS
Guided tours of The Woodlands are available April - October, but with the gates open to visitors every day from dawn until dusk, you can explore our rich history and horticulture on your own. Here we will be providing a series of digital tours you can enjoy from the comfort of your home, or while visiting the grounds. The tours include maps and directions so this content can be easily enjoyed in person.
Interested in the new Woodlands Tree Finder? You can find this online tool here, and use it to explore the full inventory of trees at The Woodlands.
Who doesn’t love a warm mug of spiced eggnog or a plate of gingerbread cookies during the holiday season? So many of our favorite holiday treats have an important ingredient in common: nutmeg. One important figure in the history of this spice was a Philadelphia resident named Horace T Helmbold, who invented the “Boss Nutmeg Grater”. Mr. Helmbold was buried here at the Woodlands in 1917.
Late Winter Tree Tour:
Distinguished Deciduous Silhouettes and More
It's late winter, and the branches of our deciduous trees are still bare. You might think that this would make it difficult to tell one tree from another, but there are many clues a tree gives us to determine their identity. We typically think of leaf shape, flower or fruit first, but today we’ll look at the big picture, the overall shape, texture, and arrangement of branches. Plus explore a little of the ecological landscape of The Woodlands and its pre-colonial history.
Grave Gardens in Bloom: September at The Woodlands
Welcome to September at The Woodlands! With fall color just over the horizon, we are celebrating late summer by re-introducing our Grave Gardening program. Now in its 6th year, the program organizes 135 Grave Garden volunteers to tend 215 cradle graves around the site. This digital tour takes you on a half-mile walk through The Woodlands to visit late summer Grave Garden blooms.
Introducing Leontyne Watts
Many people are familiar with the Harlem Renaissance, the vibrant period of Black arts and culture coursing through the streets of Harlem, NY in the mid 20th century. It may surprise you to learn however, that a prominent member was born and raised right here in West Philadelphia, and was buried here at The Woodlands Cemetery in 2019. Her story is remembered by many, but not very well known. With the help of her family and the Blockson Library at Temple University, we’re able to share her story with you.
Horticultural History at the Woodlands
Though still a new city, Philadelphia was one of the world’s most important horticultural hubs in the 18th century, and The Woodlands was at its center. The enlightenment fascination with natural sciences, along with the thousands of unknown plant species waiting to be documented throughout North America made this city a vital link in connecting the different botanical worlds of Europe and the United States. This tour explores the 18th century Horticultural History of William Hamilton’s Estate, notable trees, and the 19th century Horticulturalists and Seedsmen buried in The Woodlands Cemetery.
Lewis H. Redner and "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
The holiday season is upon us, and with Christmas just around the corner festive songs and classic carols abound. Whether it was playing on the radio or being sung by a choir, there's a good chance that you're already familiar with a Christmas tune written by Lewis H. Redner. Read on to learn the origins of O Little Town of Bethlehem, hear a unique recording of the carol, and find directions to visit Redner's grave at The Woodlands.
Some of the spookier individuals and places at The Woodlands are highlighted in this Halloween edition Digital Tour. We hope you enjoy and don’t get too scared! This tour can be taken while onsite or from home. If taking the tour in person, remember to wear a mask and social distance!
When the Bough Breaks:
Infant Burials at The Woodlands
We often refer to The Woodlands as “a garden of biographies.” Out of over 32,000 interments across the grounds, 2,596 of the individuals buried here have notably abridged biographies: they represent the infants and stillborns who died before their first birthday. In honor of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, we’ve chosen to highlight the changing landscape of infant mortality across our 54 acres by featuring some of the graves of our youngest residents.
Parallel Lives in the Fight for Suffrage:
A Tour of Historic Eden Cemetery and The Woodlands
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving Women the right to vote, this digital tour will feature two women, and two cemeteries. Mary Grew and Frances Harper were both leaders in the abolitionist movement and the fight for women’s right to vote in the 19th century. Their lives overlapped as they were working towards the same goals, and this tour will reflect that in their activist activities, organizational affiliations, conferences they attended, their careers in education, and even the churches they belonged to. This tour will explore Mary Grew and Frances Harper's contributions to the abolitionist and suffragist movements, and then will introduce you to Eden Cemetery.
Summer Shade Trees at The Woodlands:
Part 2 - Simple Leaves
In our last tree tour we focused on trees with pinnately compound leaves. This time around we’ll visit trees across the whole site with simple leaves – meaning leaves that are not divided into parts, and they will still help you beat the heat! This tour can be enjoyed while visiting The Woodlands or from home.
Victorian Picnics with Anna Maxwell
Cemetery picnics were popular during the Victorian era as people looked for outdoor recreation, and wanted to spend time with family, both living and deceased. We took inspiration from one of our notable burials, Anna Maxwell, who was famous for her Victorian picnics and countless recipes. In this tour, we’ll explore the popularity of Victorian cemetery picnics, the Maxwell family, and their Germantown home.
Summer Shade Trees
The heat of summer is upon us and we all look forward to stopping in the shade of a tree. At The Woodlands you’re in luck! With over 1000 trees of over 100 different species, there is lots of nice shade. Explore our shady canopies from home or while on site.
Press History at The Woodlands: Featuring Anne Hampton Brewster
Anne Hampton Brewster was an author and journalist, and was one of the first American female correspondents to work abroad. Her life took her from Philadelphia to Europe to New Jersey and back again to Italy, and her story finally ends here at The Woodlands. Learn about this notable member of press history from home or while onsite.
Mother's Day at The Woodlands
In honor of Mother’s Day, we wanted to highlight moms and our Grave Gardens this weekend. On our newest tour, you’ll visit cradle graves tended by four grave gardeners, all of which have a connection to motherhood. You'll hear from the gardeners themselves, sharing their stories of moms today and moms of the past. Many headstones at The Woodlands simply read “Mother” so be on the look out for them as you walk through the grounds.
Historic Foodways and the Food Growing Future:
A Partnership Between The Woodlands and Philadelphia Orchard Project
The Woodlands and the Philadelphia Orchard Project (POP) are announcing a new partnership and the establishment of the POP Learning Orchard at The Woodlands! The POP Learning Orchard will be a space designed to engage diverse Philadelphia communities in education, inspiration, and interaction with the environment. Learn more about POP and the Historic Foodways of The Woodlands on this digital tour.
Founders of The Woodlands Cemetery Company
The Woodlands Cemetery Company was founded and Incorporated 180 years ago on April 13th, 1840. A group of Philadelphians set out to preserve the estate of William Hamilton, then known as The Woodlands, a mile South West of Philadelphia. On this tour you will visit the burial sites of some Founders of The Woodlands Cemetery Company, and learn about the original cemetery gates, designed and built by architect John McArthur.
The Woodlands in Bloom: Mid Spring Edition
In this edition of The Woodlands in Bloom we highlight some spring classics such as Redbud and Dogwood as well as some of the less showy, but beautiful flowers of Oak and Birch. As new leaves begin emerging, we get almost as excited about them as the biggest, most bodacious flowers!
Fellows of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Many of the doctors who transformed the medical field in the 19th and 20th centuries were both members of The College of Physicians, and are buried at The Woodlands. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia was founded in 1787, and is still active today - advancing the cause of health while upholding the ideals and heritage of medicine. On this tour you’ll visit the grave sites of five people connected to the College of Physicians, learn about their contributions to Philadelphia and how they each shaped the medical field.
Pantry Staples are on everybody’s minds these days, and it’s hard to think of canned food without thinking of Campbell’s Soup. Joseph Campbell, founder of Campbell Soup Company was buried in The Woodlands in 1900. Visit Joseph Campbell’s gravesite while enjoying the Spring blooms.
Consider supporting your local food bank with a donation. Philabundance is a local organization working to ensure individuals and families have access to the food they need while preventing the spread of the virus. Learn more about Philabundance here.
Winter is over, and all around The Woodlands signs of spring are on full display. In this digital tour, we've highlighted points where you can find flora that are especially beautiful this time of year, and along the way you'll visit the final resting places of a few prominent plant lovers.
Our first tour will lead you to the gravesite of Marie L. Hidell, a Navy Nurse at the Naval Hospital on League Island (now the Navy Yard), during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. We are in awe of Marie’s selflessness, as well as the selflessness of all medical professionals today helping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for the digital tour.
We’re working on more tours for your enjoyment and would love to get feedback from you on what kinds of tours you’d like to see. If you have ideas, email them to us at info@woodlandsphila.org with “Digital Tour Idea” in the subject line.
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4000 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104