Woodland Cemetery Gateway, Chapel And Office
Why it's listed
At the entrance to Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, a wrought iron gateway is flanked by a chapel and an office, both built of coursed gray limestone with red sandstone trim. Completed in February 1889 by the architectural firm Burns and Peters, the complex is in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The T-shaped chapel has a round-arched doorway, an octagonal tower with an arcaded belfry, and sunburst mosaics, a motif repeated in the iron gates. Inside, a semicircular window behind the altar holds a pastoral scene in arts and crafts style glass, ordered from Tiffany Studios in 1897 around the time of a transept addition. The office uses post and lintel framing in place of the chapel's arches. The buildings are considered Dayton's best surviving examples of a style the city has few works of. Woodland Cemetery opened in 1843 on a wooded hilltop and is described as one of the oldest park cemeteries in the country.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the complex is Dayton's best remaining example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, a style the city has few examples of. It was designed by Burns and Peters, noted Dayton architects. The chapel also has an art glass window ordered from Tiffany Studios in 1897. The complex stands in one of the oldest park cemeteries in the United States.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78002147, listed November 30, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 118 Woodland Ave., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 30, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002147 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Burns and Peters |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and altered; the form describes it as occupied and part of a cemetery with restricted access. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Woodland Cemetery Association of Dayton Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.74297, -84.17923 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78002147.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8032819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.