Washington Park Cemetery Association
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery organization operating seven cemetery campuses across the Indianapolis metropolitan area, providing burial, cremation, mausoleum, pre-planning, pet memorialization, and veteran services to Central Indiana families under Buchanan Group stewardship.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1919
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Washington Park Cemetery Association does
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery organization headquartered at 10612 East Washington Street in Indianapolis, operating seven cemetery campuses across the Indianapolis metropolitan area and Hamilton County, including Floral Park (established 1919), Washington Park North (a 100-acre site designed by George Kessler), Washington Park East, Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, Memorial Park, West Ridge Park, and Hamilton Memorial Park (a 120-acre campus). The Association delivers traditional in-ground burial, cremation placement (columbarium niches, ground burial, memorial boulders), mausoleum entombment, green burial at Kessler Woods, headstones and monuments with laser etching and sandblasting, and ancillary services including veterans burial assistance, the Forever Friends pet cemetery, pre-planning consultations, and grief support. Event and life-celebration venues include the 12,500-square-foot Prairie Waters Funeral and Event Center at Hamilton Memorial Park and the Community Life Center at Washington Park East.
Revenue mechanics are multi-stream and tied to the cemetery asset base. Streams include one-time plot and niche sales, professional funeral/cremation services delivered through the affiliated Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers, recurring perpetual care contributions covering grounds maintenance, hardware sales of headstones and vases, and event venue rentals. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; flexible payment plans are offered for pre-planning, with promotional free cemetery space offers at select locations. Marketing combines the corporate website (washingtonparkcemetery.org), Constant Contact email newsletters, direct mail (including a free Celebrate Life Guide), and on-site community events such as the Hamilton Memorial Park Memorial Day service.
The Association is managed by Buchanan Group, Inc., with current leadership comprising Dr. Gene Sease (President), Ted Mau (Secretary/Treasurer), and board members Bruce Buchanan, Shawn Spence, and John Snell. The Buchanan family has stewarded the organization across four generations, from Charles through Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Bruce Buchanan. Operating scope is regional (Indianapolis metro, Hamilton County, Marion County, and Central Indiana); no external institutional investment or private equity involvement is indicated in the source material.
Washington Park Cemetery Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Washington Park Cemetery Association
- Legal name
- Washington Park Cemetery Association
- Website
- https://washingtonparkcemetery.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1919
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery organization operating seven cemetery campuses across the Indianapolis metropolitan area, providing burial, cremation, mausoleum, pre-planning, pet memorialization, and veteran services to Central Indiana families under Buchanan Group stewardship.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Washington Park Cemetery Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cemetery and Memorial Services
- NAICS
- Cemeteries and Crematories (812220), Cemeteries and Crematories (81222)
- SIC
- Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)
Keywords
Where Washington Park Cemetery Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Washington Park Cemetery Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Cemetery Plot Sales: Sale of burial plots including single, companion, and family estate plots. Traditional in-ground burial spaces and areas for future generations.
- Burial and Cremation Services: Funeral services, burial services, and cremation services provided through associated Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers located on cemetery grounds.
- Cremation Placement: Columbarium niches (interior and exterior), ground burial for cremated remains, memorial boulders, benches, and monuments.
- Perpetual Care: All spaces located within perpetual care cemetery ensuring grounds are professionally maintained for generations.
- Memorial Products: Headstones, markers, monuments, and cemetery vases. Custom design options including laser etching and sandblasting.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Burial plots and cremation spaces available with flexible payment options |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Washington Park Cemetery Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery operator that sells and manages burial plots, cremation placement spaces, mausoleum crypts, and memorialization products across seven cemetery locations in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It delivers traditional in-ground burial, cremation options (columbarium niches and ground burial), above-ground mausoleum entombment, green burial, and custom headstones and markers, supported by on-site funeral centers, event venues, perpetual care grounds maintenance, and pre-planning services for families.
Product overview
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery organization operating seven cemetery locations in the Indianapolis, Indiana area. The company provides a unified portfolio of memorial and burial services across its locations, including traditional in-ground burial, cremation options (columbarium niches, ground burial, memorial boulders), mausoleum entombment, green burial, and headstone/monument services. Each location features unique settings and amenities such as event centers (Prairie Waters, Community Life Center), funeral centers operated by Flanner Buchanan, and specialized gardens. The organization also offers pet cemetery services through Forever Friends, veterans burial assistance, pre-planning services, and grief support resources. The company's locations include Floral Park, Hamilton Memorial Park, Memorial Park, Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, Washington Park East, Washington Park North, and West Ridge Park.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Floral Park Cemetery
- Hamilton Memorial Park
- Memorial Park Cemetery
- Oaklawn Memorial Gardens
- Washington Park East Cemetery
- Washington Park North Cemetery
- West Ridge Park Cemetery
- Prairie Waters Funeral and Event Center
- Veterans Burial Services
- Headstones, Markers and Monuments
- Cemetery Vase Installation Service
- Mausoleum Entombment
- Cremation Placement Options
- Green Burial (Kessler Woods)
- Traditional Burial Plots
- Forever Friends Pet Cemetery
- Pre-Planning Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 families served annually at Washington Park East location alone
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Washington Park Cemetery Association
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Washington Park Cemetery Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Washington Park Cemetery Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Flanner Buchanan Funeral CenterscoreFlanner Buchanan operates funeral centers on-site at most Washington Park Cemetery Association locations. Provides funeral services, cremation services, and event spaces. Family-owned business serving Central Indiana for nearly 150 years since opening the state's first crematory in 1904.
- International Cemetery & Funeral Association (ICFA)minorAllows cemetery plot purchases to be transferable to over 900 cemeteries nationwide through ICFA's transfer program, providing flexibility for families who relocate.
- Buchanan Group, Inc.coreManagement company for Washington Park Cemetery Association. Current leadership includes Dr. Gene Sease (president), Ted Mau (secretary/treasurer), plus Board members Bruce Buchanan, Shawn Spence and John Snell. Buchanan family has nurtured the association since its beginnings.
- Kelsey EhrgottminorFamily Service Advisor at Hamilton Memorial Park since 2020. Can assist with pre-planning questions and plan transfers.
- Bruce W. BuchanancoreFourth-generation owner of Buchanan Group. Led the opening of Prairie Waters Event Center and ongoing development of Hamilton Memorial Park.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Washington Park Cemetery Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Foundation Partners Group: Foundation Partners Group is a national provider of funeral and cemetery services operating dozens of locations across the U.S. Its product breadth (traditional burial, cremation, pre-planning) and private-equity-backed growth make it a relevant strategic and operational comparable.
- Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries: Forest Lawn is a well-known not-for-profit cemetery and funeral provider in California with multiple park-like locations offering burial, cremation, mausoleum, and memorial services. Comparable to WPCA in its nonprofit multi-location structure and perpetual care model.
- Park Lawn Corporation: Park Lawn is a Canadian-based death care provider operating cemeteries, funeral homes, and cremation services across North America. Its acquisition-driven growth strategy and cemetery-heavy portfolio make it a relevant comparable for WPCA's roll-up history and operational model.
- Service Corporation International (Dignity Memorial): SCI is the largest North American provider of funeral, cremation, and cemetery services, operating thousands of locations across the U.S. and Canada under brands including Dignity Memorial. Its scale, perpetual care model, and cremation placement offerings directly parallel WPCA's business model.
- Carriage Services: Carriage Services is a publicly traded provider of funeral and cemetery services with a portfolio of branded locations across the U.S. Its mix of private cemeteries, cremation services, and pre-need financing mirrors WPCA's service offering at much greater scale.
- StoneMor Inc. StoneMor is one of the largest U.S. owners and operators of cemeteries and funeral homes, with a multi-state portfolio and similar product mix (burial plots, cremation niches, perpetual care). It is a broad incumbent comparable to WPCA's regional multi-location cemetery platform.
Emerging players
- Tulip Cremation: Tulip Cremation is a tech-enabled direct cremation provider offering transparent online pricing and at-need logistics. It does not directly compete for cemetery plots but represents the modern, digital-first segment that pressures traditional cemetery operators like WPCA on price transparency and customer acquisition.
- Better Place Forests: Better Place Forests operates a network of green burial memorial forests offering eco-friendly alternatives to traditional cemetery burial. It overlaps with WPCA's Kessler Woods natural burial ground and green burial product line, representing a competing model for environmentally conscious consumers.
Others
- Legacy.com: Legacy.com is the dominant online obituary and memorial platform used by most U.S. funeral homes and cemeteries, including WPCA via its Tukios website. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant whose obituary and memorial tools support cemetery operators' customer experience and lead generation.
Direct peers
- Crown Hill Cemetery: Crown Hill Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Indianapolis, a not-for-profit operating a historic 555-acre site with burial, cremation, and mausoleum services. It is the most direct geographic and operational peer to WPCA within the Indianapolis market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Washington Park Cemetery Association social profiles
Digital presenceWashington Park Cemetery Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Washington Park Cemetery Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Washington Park Cemetery Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Washington Park Cemetery Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Washington Park Cemetery Association
What does Washington Park Cemetery Association do?
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a not-for-profit cemetery operator that sells and manages burial plots, cremation placement spaces, mausoleum crypts, and memorialization products across seven cemetery locations in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It delivers traditional in-ground burial, cremation options (columbarium niches and ground burial), above-ground mausoleum entombment, green burial, and custom headstones and markers, supported by on-site funeral centers, event venues, perpetual care grounds maintenance, and pre-planning services for families.
Is Washington Park Cemetery Association a public or private company?
Washington Park Cemetery Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Washington Park Cemetery Association founded?
Washington Park Cemetery Association was founded in 1919. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Washington Park Cemetery Association based?
Washington Park Cemetery Association is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Washington Park Cemetery Association make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Cemetery Plot Sales are the primary driver. The others are burial and Cremation Services, cremation Placement, perpetual Care and memorial Products.
Who are Washington Park Cemetery Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Foundation Partners Group, Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries, Park Lawn Corporation, Service Corporation International (Dignity Memorial), Carriage Services and StoneMor Inc.. Emerging players are Tulip Cremation and Better Place Forests. Legacy.com is listed as an others. Crown Hill Cemetery is listed as a direct peer.
Does Washington Park Cemetery Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Washington Park Cemetery Association.
What industry is Washington Park Cemetery Association in?
Washington Park Cemetery Association's product category is Cemetery and Memorial Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAL, Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites). Its NAICS code is 812220 and its SIC code is 6519.