Moving Forward during the Pandemic: A Letter from Historic Oakland Foundation’s Directors

Spring is usually a busy time for Historic Oakland Foundation. Winter’s end brings Oakland’s gardens and our programs to life. At this time of year, we normally welcome tens of thousands of visitors to the Cemetery to enjoy the spring blossoms, walking tours, plant sales, and special events. All of these activities are an integral part of our mission to share Oakland Cemetery with the public. They also generate the revenue that allows us to keep doing our work to preserve and restore Oakland Cemetery.

Unfortunately (and obviously), these aren’t normal times. We care deeply about the safety and well-being of all of our visitors, volunteers, and staff, and in light of the rapidly unfolding COVID-19 public health crisis, we have closed the Visitors Center and postponed or canceled all scheduled activities, including tours, programs, and our March and April Illumine event.

Historic Oakland Foundation works hard to restore Oakland Cemetery and enhance its beautiful Victorian gardens. Since the Foundation formed in 1976 we’ve restored eleven acres of this unique historic site, and in the last five years, we have dramatically increased our rate of restoration and landscaping. The newly restored Jewish sections and African American Burial Grounds, as well as the Women’s Comfort Station, demonstrate our newly developed capacity to care for Oakland more efficiently.

We’ve also conceived and developed many more activities that allow us to share Oakland’s history and beauty with all of Atlanta and beyond. In addition to new special events like illumine, we have brought more educational programs to the public, including our flashlight tours, Malts & Vaults tour, our spring and fall scavenger hunts, and expanded tour offerings.

With your assistance, we will weather these difficult times and remain a vibrant organization dedicated to caring and sharing Atlanta’s most beautiful and historic park.

You can help us keep Historic Oakland Foundation’s momentum going. With your assistance, we will weather these difficult times and remain a vibrant organization dedicated to caring and sharing Atlanta’s most beautiful and historic park (we may be biased!).

Buy or renew a membership in April (and get an automatic upgrade to the next level, make a tax-deductible donation, share a photo on Instagram, or leave a review online.

Thanks for all of your support and help. We’ll keep producing interesting digital content and finding ways to bring Oakland’s rich history and beauty to you at home. We are working hard to support our neighbors and friends and are making sure we’re ready to welcome you to our public programs again when it is safe to do so.

Take care and stay well,

Richard Harker and David Moore
Co-Executive Directors
Historic Oakland Foundation