The Woodlawn Cemetery Chapel

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A Brief History

The Woodlawn Cemetery Chapel
Shawano, Wisconsin

The Woodlawn Cemetery Chapel, organ, and carillon were realized through donations and gifts to the Woodlawn Cemetery Association.  Construction began in 1937 and the dedication was held in 1941. The carillon can still be heard every day in the cemetery and surrounding neighborhood as it plays various musical scores.

The history of Woodlawn and the chapel wouldn’t be possible without the Woodlawn Cemetery Association. In the 1880’s the cemetery was an overgrown weed patch so Mrs. Nabor called a group of women together to beautify the grounds, to dignify those buried in cemetery.

Mrs. Herman Naber was instrumental in forming the Cemetery Improvement Association, first made up of seven women from Shawano, which dates back to July 1888.  In January 1910, Judge Wener drew up the article of incorporation of the Woodlawn Cemetery Association.  This association, which grew to over seventy members, is responsible for almost everything you see in the cemetery today; developing the layout including the roads, the stone chapel and it’s Schulmerich based carillon, and beautification of the grounds.

Decades later, the association suffered from lack of interest and the responsibilities were turned over to the city.