Leading the Way: Remarkable Firsts - Lakewood Walking Tour

Explore the beauty and history of Lakewood by taking a free walking tour. Lakewood tour guides will lead you through this tour that honors individuals remembered here for remarkable and meaningful “firsts.” Spanning generations, these stories include breakthroughs in medicine, moments of social progress, and unique experiences. Each stop invites reflection on the courage, skill, or circumstance that placed someone at the beginning of something new. Together, these lives remind us that “firsts” are not just historical markers, but personal achievements that continue to shape our world.

Where to meet

This tour begins at Lakewood’s historic Lakewood Memorial Chapel. Follow directional signs to the event or use Google Maps for GPS navigation.

Transportation and parking

Feel free to park anywhere along Lakewood’s roads unless otherwise noted with a no parking sign. Please do not park or drive on the grass.

Metro Transit lines 6 and 23 stop directly outside of Lakewood’s gate, a short walk from the chapel.

Bike parking is available near the front gate at 36th and Hennepin. Please do not lock bikes to trees.

Accessibility information

• Tour guides use voice amplifiers.
• The tour group walks a 3/4 mile loop at a slow to moderate pace on paved roads and turf grass.
• Parts of this tour may not be wheelchair or scooter accessible. If you wish to attend using a wheelchair or scooter, please email us at events@lakewoodcemetery.org so your guides can plan an accessible route.

Restrooms

The chapel’s restrooms are available before and at the end of the tour. Unfortunately, due to the historic nature of the chapel, the single-stall restrooms are not wheelchair accessible.

Cancellations

The tour will be cancelled if dangerous weather occurs or is highly likely in the forecast. If we must cancel, this webpage will be updated and we will alert registrants by email (from Eventbrite) with at least 2 hours’ notice.

Questions? We’d love to hear from you! Call us at 612-540-5165 or email events@lakewoodcemetery.org.

The Lakewood Heritage Foundation

This event is free. If you wish to make a donation, we invite you to contribute to the Lakewood Heritage Foundation. Donations to the Lakewood Heritage Foundation support educational programming and the preservation and restoration of Lakewood’s landscape, art, architecture and public spaces—for the benefit of all.