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Geneology resource center opens at Forest Lawn

Ashley Hirtzel
/
WBFO

A new archive and resource center opened at Buffalo’s historic Forest Lawn Cemetery yesterday. The facility will allow the public to trace the genealogy of more than 160,000 people buried at the graveyard.

The Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center will provide visitors with more than 1.2 million historical and genealogical documents dating back to the 1800s. The 3,000 square-foot building is located on the Main Street side of the cemetery.

It offers digital copies of books, records, and certificates of people buried at Forest Lawn, including former U.S. President Millard Fillmore and musician Rick James. Forest Lawn President Joseph Dispenza says once all the records are digitized they will be accessible online.

Credit Ashley Hirtzel / WBFO
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WBFO
Books that hold dates of death.

“The story about who we are is not a birth year and a death year. The story is about everything in between. Once your children or grandchildren move on and pass on, who’s left to tell the story? Well the record is hidden away in cemeteries across the country. Our goal is to get them out from being hidden away and to invite the world to come and add to their story and tell their story regardless of where your loved one is buried,” said Dispenza.

The New York Power Authority awarded the Forest Lawn Heritage Foundation $150,000 to begin digitizing the records. Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes says she believes Forest Lawn is a key tourism asset to the region.

“History I think is one of the most important things in people’s lives. It’s clear that the history that’s here at Forest Lawn is history that can be told to people anywhere in the world. Once it’s marketed properly, one of

Credit Ashley Hirtzel / WBFO
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WBFO
The system holding the digitized records.

our third goals to build our economy in western New York [is through] tourism. People in America are searching for opportunities to research their history. So, opportunities to find history on your own, people are doing in big, big numbers,” said Peoples-Stokes.

Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy encourages New Yorkers and visitors to the region to come read about the many incredible people buried at Forest Lawn. The digitization project will be complete by December 2016.