Ground was broken Monday at Forest Lawn Cemetery for The Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center, a facility which looks to host genealogical and historical research. "There are currently about 160,000 permanent residents at Forest Lawn. And all of those people have stories to tell," said Charles Kreiner Jr., chair of Forest Lawn's capital campaign.
"The paperwork that we have, the old records, have needed a place to be secure and accessible. The Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center will provide that facility for Forest Lawn and the community. "
The new center is expected to be a tourism drawn to the region. It is being constructed on the Main Street side of Forest Lawn. The center should open a year from now in the fall of 2014.
The exterior design of the new resource center will be constructed to resemble the Granger Barn that once stood nearby the property.