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Historic Oakwood Cemetery, located in Troy, Rensselaer County, New York, was designed in the 1840s by architect John C. Sidney. In the late 1880s, Hannah and William S. Gardner, wealthy citizens of Troy, constructed The Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel and Crematorium as a memorial to their only son, who had died tragically young. They spared no expense, using rare materials and top artisans of the day, including Louis Comfort Tiffany. The cemetery underwent its greatest development in the late 19th century under Superintendent John Boetcher, who incorporated rare foliage into the grounds and executed the landscape design laid out by J.C. Sidney. Oakwood was the fourth rural cemetery opened in New York, and its governing body was the first rural cemetery association created in the state.