And the Stories Buried With Them
Most people don’t think of a cemetery as a place to visit on vacation. But historic cemeteries in Ohio and beyond hold real history. They show you who built your state, who fought for it, and who is still remembered because of a carved stone.
This fall, skip the crowded pumpkin patch line and try something different. These seven cemeteries are open to the public and full of stories worth telling. Four are in Ohio. Three are a road trip away.
Mound Cemetery, Marietta
Marietta was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory, so it makes sense that its cemetery holds a piece of ancient history too. Mound Cemetery opened in 1801 around a massive burial mound. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the mound was built between 100 BCE and 500 AD, and the city’s founders deliberately placed the cemetery around it to prevent its destruction as the town grew.
Climb the steps to the top for a quiet view of the grounds. Then look at the headstones. This cemetery holds more Revolutionary War officer graves than any other in the country, including those of Generals Rufus Putnam and Benjamin Tupper, both of whom helped found Marietta, and Commodore Abraham Whipple, credited with sinking the first British ship of the war.
Good to know: Open to visitors. Check with the City of Marietta for current hours.
Old Colony Burying Ground, Granville
Granville is already one of Ohio’s prettiest small towns. Add a 1805 cemetery with hand-carved headstones, and you have an easy stop on any fall road trip. According to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the first burial here was in 1806, and the grounds are the resting place of 18 Revolutionary War veterans, 39 War of 1812 veterans, and 16 Civil War veterans.
The stones are the real draw. Local carvers made many of them between 1808 and 1880, and together they show how grave art changed over time. A paper walking-tour guide points out key figures from the town’s past.
Good to know: Open to visitors. There is no parking at the site, so park nearby and walk up the hill.
Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, Cincinnati
Before Cincinnati was Cincinnati, this land was home to Columbia, the first settlement in Hamilton County. According to Cincinnati Magazine, settlers landed here in 1788, a full month before the founding of Losantiville, the town that became Cincinnati. This small hillside cemetery is the only remaining piece of that first settlement.
Burials likely began as early as 1790. The oldest stone belongs to Phebe Stites, who was just five months old when she died in 1797. Nearby lies Major Benjamin Stites, who led the first boatload of settlers to Columbia.
Good to know: Maintained by Cincinnati Parks. It sits on a small hill near Lunken Airport, at 333 Wilmer Avenue.
Erie Street Cemetery, Cleveland
Step through the Gothic stone gate on East 9th Street, and you’re in Cleveland’s oldest cemetery. According to Case Western Reserve University’s Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, the cemetery opened in 1826 after village trustees bought the land for one dollar, at what was then the edge of a small settlement.
Thousands of people are buried here, including 168 veterans who served anywhere from the Revolutionary War to the Spanish-American War. You’ll also find Lorenzo Carter, Cleveland’s first permanent settler, and John Malvin, a formerly enslaved person who worked on the Underground Railroad. In the early 1900s, the city took some of the land for new streets, and public pushback helped save the rest.
Good to know: City-owned and open to visitors. It sits right next to Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland.
Frankfort Cemetery, Kentucky
Worth the drive south, Frankfort Cemetery is the resting place of Daniel Boone, one of America’s best-known frontiersmen. His grave sits on a cliff above the Kentucky River and draws more visitors than any other grave on the grounds.
Boone died in Missouri in 1820, and his remains were moved to Kentucky in 1845. But the National Register of Historic Places nomination form notes that historians have long debated whether the right remains made the trip. The mystery has never been settled. Seventeen Kentucky governors are buried here too, along with Vice President Richard M. Johnson, and the views of the river and the state capitol add to the visit.
Good to know: Open to visitors daily. The cemetery is at 215 East Main Street in Frankfort.
Greenlawn Cemetery, Vincennes, Indiana
According to the City of Vincennes, Greenlawn dates to 1788, which makes it the oldest public cemetery in Indiana, 28 years before Indiana became a state. An estimated 10,000 people rest here.
The oldest stone you can still read belongs to Dolly Blackman, who died on November 4, 1815, at age 32. Historians have found very little else about her, which leaves visitors to wonder about her story. Early Vincennes leaders are buried here too, including Francis Vigo and Elihu Stout.
Good to know: Greenlawn is the oldest section of the Vincennes City Cemetery. The city runs it and welcomes visitors.
Brooke Cemetery, Wellsburg, West Virginia
If you love old cemetery art, this stop is for you. Brooke Cemetery, opened in 1857 in Wellsburg, is known for its headstones, above-ground crypts, and mausoleums dating to the 1800s and early 1900s. The West Virginia Culture Center’s state historic register lists the 23-acre grounds as one of Brooke County’s official historic places.
Plan ahead. The road through the cemetery is narrow with sharp curves, so visitors are advised not to bring anything bigger than a minivan, and winter driving can be difficult. Wear sturdy shoes, since some older stones have tipped over.
Good to know: The entrance is at the end of 23rd Street. Check ahead for current access.
Plan Your Trip to the Oldest Cemeteries in Ohio and Beyond
Pair a few of these stops with the small towns around them, and you have a full day of history, architecture, and fall color. Hours and access can change, so check before you go. Bring a camera and wear good shoes for uneven ground, and treat these grounds with the same respect you’d want for your own family’s resting place.
