Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum

What Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum does

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum is a non-profit, non-denominational cemetery and accredited arboretum located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded in 1850, it spans 189 contiguous acres and holds more than 118,000 burials, with capacity remaining for another 100+ years of interments. The property is designated a Milwaukee Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it contains protected Indigenous burial mounds under Wisconsin Statutes s. 157.70. It is the resting place of several nationally significant historical figures, which underwrites its brand and inbound demand.

The organization generates revenue through a diversified set of streams: conventional burial and cremation services, Green Burial Council-certified natural burials, monument preservation and perpetual-care contributions, planned/legacy giving (including the Lapham Legacy Society), ticketed cultural and educational programming (e.g., Spirits of the Silent City theatrical tours, Dia de los Muertos), and donations processed via Givebutter. It runs an ArbNet-accredited arboretum managed through TreeKeeper and a memorial tree program that monetizes individual plantings.

Operations are lean — roughly 10 total staff across administration and grounds — and the technology stack is entirely third-party: Eventbrite for ticketing, Microsoft Forms for registration, Google Calendar for scheduling, and Givebutter for fundraising. Strategic posture is partnership-led rather than technology-led: active collaborations with the Ho-Chunk Nation, UW-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Wisconsin Historical Society, Historic Milwaukee, and the Girl Scouts expand programming and stewardship capacity without proportional headcount growth. Customer base is the long tail of families and the Milwaukee-area public; there is no enterprise or institutional anchor concentration.

Name

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum

Legal name

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum

Website

https://foresthomecemetery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum is a 175-year-old non-profit, non-denominational cemetery and accredited arboretum in Milwaukee, WI, serving families with burial, cremation, green burial, legacy giving, and cultural/heritage programming across its 189-acre grounds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cemetery & Burial Services

NAICS

Cemeteries and Crematories (81222), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Historical Sites (71212), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

Keywords

• Burial services
• Cremation services
• Green burial
• Historic cemetery
• Arboretum tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Burial Services: Revenue from burial plots, grave spaces, and burial services including traditional in-ground burial and above-ground options
2. Cremation Services: Cremation options with various display methods including columbarium niches, with both original crematory and newer facility on grounds
3. Green Burial: Environmentally conscious burial options for families seeking sustainable alternatives
4. Annual Fund Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting monument restoration, grounds maintenance, tree care, and educational/public programs
5. Legacy Giving: Planned gifts including bequests, retirement plans, real estate, life income arrangements, and other planned giving vehicles through the Increase A. Lapham Legacy Society
6. Monument Preservation Fund: Donations specifically directed to monument preservation and restoration projects
7. Tours and Events: Revenue from private and public guided tours, special events including Summer Soulstice and Spirits of the Silent City
8. Perpetual Care: Set-asides from each sale placed into perpetual care fund for ongoing property maintenance

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum is a 189-acre non-profit, non-denominational cemetery and accredited arboretum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offering traditional in-ground burial, above-ground mausoleum/crypts, cremation, and green burial services, along with pre-planning, memorialization, and veteran burial options. The organization also operates public, private, and self-guided historical tours plus recurring events such as Spirits of the Silent City and Dia de los Muertos. Revenue is supplemented by donations, legacy giving, monument preservation contributions, and tour fees.

Product overview

Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum operates as a non-profit, non-denominational cemetery offering a comprehensive suite of memorial and burial services. The core offerings center on traditional and green burial services (in-ground, above-ground mausoleum/crypts, cremation options), complemented by an accredited arboretum and educational programming. The service portfolio includes immediate need and pre-planning burial arrangements, memorialization options, and a robust events program featuring public/private/self-guided tours, Spirits of the Silent City theatrical tours, Dia de los Muertos festival, and Summer Soulstice fundraising celebration. Historical preservation is supported through monument preservation, memorial tree planting, and legacy giving programs. The organization manages a digital archive of notable historical figures buried on the grounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Ground Burial Traditional in-ground burial plots in various sections of the 189-acre grounds, available for families seeking standard below-ground interment.
• Above-Ground Burial Options Mausoleum crypts, columbarium niches, and other above-ground burial options including Chapel Gardens, Colonnade Niches, and Building sections.
• Green Burial Green Burial Council-certified environmentally-conscious burial that avoids embalming chemicals and uses biodegradable caskets for families seeking sustainable end-of-life options.
• Cremation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 118,000+ people buried with capacity for 100+ more years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forest Home Historic Preservation Association (FHHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1984 as the cemetery's 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Works to preserve and share the cemetery's natural beauty and historical features. Supports environmental, educational, and historic preservation efforts. Board includes community volunteers and local business representatives.
• Historic Milwaukee, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborates on walking tour programming, including Beer Barons walking tours presented by Historic Milwaukee, Inc.
• Girl Scouts of Southeast WisconsinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Women in History tour program helping young scouts discover women's accomplishments in Milwaukee history.
• Caper CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatrical production company collaborating on Spirits of the Silent City tours, producing immersive historical experiences with professional actors.
• UW-Milwaukee Archaeological Research Laboratory CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jennifer Haas, director, provided expertise in archaeologist confirmation of rediscovered mounds at sections 15 and 19.
• Marquette University Indigeneity LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing historical expertise for mound rediscovery and preservation documentation.
• Wisconsin Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Amy Rosebrough, State Archaeologist, provided expertise in mound confirmation and documentation.
• Ho-Chunk Nation Tribal Historic Preservation OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilliam Quackenbush, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, provided guidance and expertise on Indigenous history and mound preservation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Woodlawn Cemetery: Historic 400-acre Bronx cemetery founded 1863 with notable burials and a strong public tour program. Operates a conservation program and is a registered Level II arboretum, mirroring Forest Home's cemetery + arboretum model.
• Green-Wood Cemetery: Historic 478-acre Brooklyn cemetery founded 1838, famous for public tours, an arboretum-style landscape, and a robust events business including The Green-Wood After Hours program. Direct competitor in the historic cemetery + tour programming category.
• Mount Auburn Cemetery: Cambridge, MA cemetery founded 1831 that pioneered the garden cemetery model and inspired Forest Home's original design by Increase A. Lapham. Operates as an active cemetery, arboretum, and historic site with extensive public programming.
• Graceland Cemetery: Chicago cemetery founded 1860 known for architecturally significant monuments and design-forward landscape. Comparable to Forest Home as a Midwest historic cemetery that emphasizes heritage, art, and notable-figure storytelling.
• Laurel Hill Cemetery: Philadelphia cemetery founded 1836, a National Historic Landmark with extensive tour programming, an arboretum focus, and a Friends-of organization supporting preservation. Mirrors Forest Home's non-profit, preservation-association-driven model.
• Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum: Historic Cincinnati cemetery founded 1845 that also operates as a Level II accredited arboretum. Most direct analog to Forest Home in combining garden cemetery heritage, arboretum accreditation, educational tours, and conservation programming.
• Lakewood Cemetery: Minneapolis cemetery founded 1871 with 250+ acres, an accredited arboretum, and an established events and education program. Strong regional comparable given Midwest geography and similar size and service mix to Forest Home.
• Cave Hill Cemetery: Louisville, KY cemetery founded 1848 that is both a National Historic Landmark and an accredited arboretum. Comparable in combining arboretum accreditation, historic preservation, and active burial operations in a Midwest-adjacent market.

Emerging players

• Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Los Angeles cemetery famous for celebrity burials, summer movie screenings, and themed events. Comparable on the event-driven GTM motion but operates on a much larger commercial scale rather than non-profit.

Broad incumbents

• Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale): Large commercial cemetery operator in Southern California with extensive events, museums, and tour programming. Comparable on the event and tourism dimension but operates on a much larger commercial scale rather than as a community non-profit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/foresthome1850
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-home-cemetery-milwaukee

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum