Oak Hill Cemetery

What Oak Hill Cemetery does

Oak Hill Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a 22-acre historic burial ground and Level I Accredited arboretum in Georgetown, Washington DC, founded in 1849 and re-incorporated as a preservation foundation in 2003. The foundation's core products include casket sites, cremation sites, and family mausoleums sold directly on-site; a fee-based genealogy research service (verification of burial/cremation, official cemetery maps, decedent cards, digital photos of lots/monuments, file searches, historic images, ~30-day turnaround); a memorial tree program; and venue rental of the Renwick Chapel and grounds for weddings, private events, lectures, and book talks. Educational programming is a deliberate second engine: paid walking tours (e.g., Classical Echoes $30, Historic Tree Tour $25, significant-tree lecture $10), the 175th-anniversary Gala ($100 single / $175 couple), and free seasonal Dog Days fundraising events drawing 100+ dogs at a single 2019 session. The technology stack is non-software: a physical historic landscape with significant architectural structures (Thomas U. Walter's Corcoran Mausoleum, the Linthicum Mausoleum, the Van Ness Mausoleum as a Temple of Vesta replica, and Renwick Chapel), an online burial-records catalog housed via the webCemeteries platform, Eventbrite for event ticketing, and an online shop/cart for genealogy research requests.

Revenue mechanics blend one-time plot/mausoleum license sales, fee-for-service genealogy research, transaction-fee event ticketing, and recurring/subscription-style donations plus grant funding; the foundation has secured grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities ($37.5M pool, 240 projects, August 2024) and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation ($7,200 matched, 2023 CAP), and is pursuing museum accreditation through the American Alliance of Museums (selected for MAP in 2023). The go-to-market is event-driven and community-based, supported by a website/blog, mailing list, Instagram (@oak_hill_cemetery with #oakhillcemeterydc), Facebook, and earned media (WTOP, Washington Post, GW Today). The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors with a small staff (President George Hill, VP L. Richard Fischer, Superintendent Paul Williams, Office Manager Laura Lavelle, Archivist Laura Thoms) operating on a 1-10 employee base with no disclosed parent company, private equity, or venture capital.

Name

Oak Hill Cemetery

Legal name

Oak Hill Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation

Website

https://oakhillcemeterydc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1849

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Oak Hill Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation operates a 22-acre historic cemetery and Level I arboretum in Georgetown, Washington DC, providing burial and cremation plots, mausoleums, genealogy research, educational tours, and venue rentals as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving families, genealogists, visitors, and donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cemetery and Memorial Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Cemeteries and Crematories (812220)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Historic cemetery services
• Burial plot sales
• Cremation interment
• Genealogy research
• Memorial preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Burial Services: Oak Hill Cemetery generates revenue through the sale of burial plots, casket sites, cremation sites, and family mausoleums. The cemetery offers various burial options including casket sites, cremation sites, and family mausoleums for interment purposes.
2. Genealogy Research Services: The cemetery offers genealogical research services including verification of burial/cremation, official cemetery maps, decedent cards, burial records, digital photos of lots and monuments, and file searches.
3. Event Ticketing: Oak Hill Cemetery charges admission for educational events such as tree tours, lectures, and walking tours. Events range from $10 for seated lectures to $30 for walking tours.
4. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Oak Hill Cemetery relies on donations and fundraising events to support preservation efforts, restoration projects, and operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oak Hill Cemetery operates a 22-acre historic burial ground and Level I accredited arboretum in Georgetown, Washington DC, offering burial plot sales (casket sites, cremation sites, family mausoleums), a memorial tree program, paid genealogy research services, educational tours, and venue rentals at Renwick Chapel. The cemetery is managed by the Oak Hill Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels revenue from services and donations into ongoing preservation of architectural heritage including the Corcoran, Linthicum, and Van Ness mausoleums.

Product overview

Oak Hill Cemetery operates as a historic urban cemetery and preservation foundation offering a portfolio of burial and memorial services including plot sales (casket sites, cremation sites, family mausoleums), genealogical research services, and a memorial tree program. The organization also provides public programming through educational tours (Arbor Tours, Historic Tree Walking Tours), venue rentals for events at the Renwick Chapel, and hosts community events such as Dog Days. Fundraising efforts support preservation projects including the Bigelow Iron Fence Restoration. The cemetery maintains an online burial records catalog for genealogical research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cemetery Plot Services Sale and management of burial sites including casket sites, cremation sites, and family mausoleums for interment purposes at the historic Georgetown, Washington DC cemetery. Designed for families and individuals seeking dignified historic burial and cremation options.
• Genealogy Research Services Paid research services for genealogists and family historians, including verification of burial or cremation and location, official cemetery maps, copies of decedent cards and burial records, digital photos of lots and monuments, file searches, and searches for historic images or inscriptions. Turnaround is approximately 30 days.
• Memorial Tree Program Program that allows families to plant memorial trees on the cemetery grounds as a living tribute to deceased loved ones, combining memorialization with the cemetery's Level I accredited arboretum landscape.
• Educational Tours Ticketed guided and self-guided tours of the cemetery grounds, including Historic Tree Walking Tours ($25/person), seated Significant Tree Lectures in Renwick Chapel ($10/person), and themed walking tours such as Classical Echoes ($30/person). Designed for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and nature visitors.
• Venue Rental at Renwick Chapel Rental of the historic Renwick Chapel and cemetery grounds for weddings, private events, lectures, and book talks, leveraging the cemetery's significant architecture and grounds for ceremonial and cultural events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Level I Arboretum Accreditation achieved through ArbNet Program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2025Co-presented 'Classical Echoes in Oak Hill Cemetery' walking tour with ICAA representatives John Mahshie.
• George Washington UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2025Elise A. Friedland, Associate Professor of Classics and Art History at GWU, presented 'Classical Echoes in Oak Hill Cemetery' lecture.
• Library of CongressminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2024Presented 'The Life and Afterlife of Elizabeth Keckly' event with Civil War specialist Michelle A. Krowl from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
• J&M PreservationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Led the site-wide condition assessment of the cemetery's top five architectural structures including Thomas U. Walter's Corcoran Mausoleum, Linthicum Mausoleum, Van Ness Mausoleum, and Renwick Chapel. Also conducted building assessment for the Gatehouse as part of the FAIC CAP program.
• MTFAmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Architecture firm involved in the significant architecture preservation assessment of the cemetery's historic structures.
• Julie SloanmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2024Renowned stained glass conservator who worked on the assessment, with experience at Mount Auburn and Green-wood cemeteries, as well as Trinity Church Boston and St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
• The Morton Arboretum / ArbNet ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2023Sponsored and coordinated Level I Arboretum accreditation program in cooperation with American Public Gardens Association and Botanic Gardens Conservation International.
• Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2023Awarded $7,200 in partial funding for the Collections Assessment for Preservation program covering archives, collections, buildings, and building systems.
• Library of CongressminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2023Amelia Parks, Education Librarian for Library of Congress, served as Collections Assessor during the CAP site visit.
• American Alliance of Museums (AAM)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2023Selected Oak Hill Cemetery for 2023 Museum Assessment Program, supported through cooperative agreement with Institute of Museum and Library Services, for preparation toward museum accreditation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Green-Wood Cemetery: Historic 478-acre urban cemetery in Brooklyn, NY, founded 1838. Operated by the Green-Wood Historic Fund as a nonprofit heritage site with active preservation, tours, events, and burial services — directly comparable in mission, structure, and programming model to Oak Hill.
• Hollywood Forever Cemetery: Historic cemetery in Los Angeles founded 1899, privately operated with active burial, events, film screenings, and tours. Comparable in blending burial services with cultural/tourism programming to drive diversified revenue.
• Mount Auburn Cemetery: America's first garden cemetery, founded 1831 in Cambridge, MA. Combines active burial services with arboretum credentials, public programming, and historic preservation. Operated by a nonprofit Friends organization — the closest analog in scale and operating model.
• Congressional Cemetery: Historic cemetery in Washington DC founded 1807, operated by the Congressional Cemetery Association as a nonprofit. Shares Oak Hill's DC geography, nonprofit preservation model, K-9-themed events, and historic-site programming strategy.
• Laurel Hill Cemetery: National Historic Landmark cemetery in Philadelphia, founded 1836. Operated by a nonprofit foundation providing burial services, public tours, and historic preservation — closely comparable urban-historic nonprofit cemetery model.
• Woodlawn Cemetery: National Historic Landmark cemetery in the Bronx, NY, founded 1863. Provides burial services, public tours, and notable-interments programming with strong heritage brand — comparable in scale and historic-urban positioning to Oak Hill.
• Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum: Historic 733-acre cemetery and arboretum in Cincinnati, founded 1845. Combines active burial operations with arboretum designation and educational programming — directly comparable in cemetery-plus-arboretum identity.
• Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum: Historic Manhattan cemetery operated by Trinity Church, with active burial services, notable interments, and historic preservation. Comparable in operating model and urban-historic cemetery positioning to Oak Hill.

Broad incumbents

• Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries: Large commercial operator of multiple memorial parks across Southern California. Much larger scale and for-profit, but overlaps with Oak Hill on cemetery services, mortuary operations, and cultural programming (museums, tours) — included as a broad incumbent for comparison.

Regional players

• Dumbarton Oaks Park: Historic landscape park in Georgetown, Washington DC, stewarded by a nonprofit. Comparable regional heritage-preservation nonprofit operating in Oak Hill's immediate DC neighborhood, sharing the same donor and visitor base for cultural programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/oak_hill_cemetery
• Facebookfacebook.com/Oak-Hill-Cemetery-106705671797594
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oak-hill-cemetery-historic-preservation-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Oak Hill Cemetery