Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee: Flower Rules, Hours and Finding a Grave

Wood National Cemetery sits on the grounds of the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, the old Soldiers Home, on the west side of the city. It is closed to new burials, which means most of the people who visit are tending graves that have been there for decades. The Department of Veterans Affairs publishes its floral policy in full, and it answers the main question Wisconsin families have: when can silk flowers go out?

Where it is and when it is open

• Address: 5000 W. National Avenue, Building 1301, Milwaukee, WI 53295.
• Phone: 414-382-5300.
• Visiting hours: open daily from dawn to dusk.
• Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, closed on federal holidays except Memorial Day.

Finding a grave

A kiosk at the cemetery prints directions to a grave, and the VA's gravesite locator lists everyone buried at Wood and its annex, searchable by name. Many of the older sections hold Civil War and Spanish-American War veterans, and the VA's Veterans Legacy Memorial has a page for each. Our guide to finding a veteran's grave covers both tools.

Burial status

Wood National Cemetery and the Wood National Cemetery Annex are closed; there are no new gravesites. A family member can still be buried in an existing gravesite if there is room, and a site occasionally becomes available at a closed cemetery, so families with a relative already here should contact the cemetery.

Flower rules

Quoted from the cemetery's posted policy:

• Fresh-cut flowers "may be placed on graves at any time of the year," and are removed when they become unsightly or when mowing requires it.
• Artificial flowers are permitted "during the period of October 1 through April 1" and are removed as soon as they become unsightly.
• Christmas wreaths, grave blankets and other seasonal adornments may be placed from December 1 through January 20. They may not be secured to headstones or markers.
• Funeral flowers that accompanied the casket or urn are placed on the completed grave.
• Not permitted: permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and similar items, along with anything offensive, undignified or hazardous to staff. The policy singles out items with beads or wires, which can tangle in mowers.

Items removed from graves are kept in a holding area for one month before disposal. The VA notes that removed decorations remain the donor's property while the cemetery holds them, so call the office if something you left has disappeared.

Winter in Milwaukee

The artificial-flower window lines up with the season when fresh flowers freeze within hours. A silk arrangement placed in October can stay until April 1, and a wreath or blanket can go out December 1. Our guide to caring for a grave in winter covers snow, ice and what survives.

Firearms are prohibited on VA property, and the usual grounds rules apply. Confirm with the cemetery before a holiday visit, since policies can change.