Spring Grove Cemetery, Medina Ohio

Date added: October 24, 2024

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Ohio
Cemetery

Old Town Cemetery from East Washington St (2005)

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Spring Grove Cemetery was established in 1883 to replace the earlier Old Town Cemetery that was set aside when Medina was platted in 1818. Unlike its predecessor, which lacked any specific design features and had grave markers set in approximate rows, Spring Grove Cemetery was planned with the idea of maintaining existing landscape features while adding lakes, curvilinear drives and other elements to give it a rural pastoral setting. The cemetery remains one of the largest open green spaces in Medina.

Early Ohio cemeteries were more a matter of necessity than the source of design inspiration. Typically these early cemeteries were located in churchyards, especially in rural areas, or in town cemeteries. In the case of Medina, Elijah Boardman set aside land on the east edge of the village (on East Liberty Street) for a cemetery when the town was platted in 1818. The only other parcel set aside for public use in the original plat of the town was the 2-1/4 acres in the center of the village that became Public Square. Thus, a cemetery, regardless of its design, was considered a key public space and a necessity for a newly developing community. The Old Town Cemetery remains and is enclosed with a historic iron fence. It is located adjacent to a church and is in a mainly residential area.

Medina's population grew from several hundred in 1830 to over 1,000 by 1850 and nearly 1,500 in the early 1880s, when the need for a new cemetery began to be discussed. An announcement of a meeting to discuss a new cemetery appeared in the Medina County Gazette on March 9^th, 1883. It stated "it is to be hoped that the meeting will be largely attended. The old cemetery is so nearly full of graves now that a new burying ground will very soon be an absolute necessity." A newspaper follow-up of the meeting concluded that the public sentiment was in favor of the purchase of new grounds for a cemetery, rather than the purchase of additional land adjacent to the existing cemetery. Within a month a committee was formed to identify potential sites for a new cemetery.

The April 13^th issue of the Medina County Gazette reported that the committee "had visited numerous locations in the vicinity of the village, but could report favorably on only two, one the property of Mrs. Ainsworth, north of the village, 32 acres, which could be had for $75 an acre. The other was east of town, on land owned by Sherman Bronson, where 44 acres can be had for $100 per acre. On the land is a nice grove, and it is broken up into several ravines, which could be made much of in beautifying the grounds. It was far enough from any dwelling (300 feet) to meet the legal requirement. It was also not so far from town as some of the other locations, being inside the corporation limits. This the committee considers it the most appropriate and the best in all respects for the purpose." The community wasted no time and in May 1883, the Medina village council voted to purchase approximately 34 acres at the price of $100 per acre. A 1948 history of Medina County offered the following description "It was a beautiful tract of land 34 acres in extent and for the sum of $3400. The front part of the land was open meadow and the back part a beautiful woods with ravines and gullies. It was decided to keep the front part a park with burying ground back in the woods. A winding drive was made from the front gate, back to the burial space where a vault 22 ft. by 22 ft. with a chapel above was begun immediately and completed in the fall.

By July, a group of women invited other women in the community to join them in the formation of a cemetery improvement association. The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association held a fund raising event that July 4^th and raised slightly over $200. Thus began the Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association's active involvement in raising funds for and encouraging additional new improvements to Spring Grove Cemetery.

There was a good deal of discussion about possible names for the new cemetery, with the Medina County Gazette reporting on July 20^th, 1883 that some of the names suggested included: Spring Grove, Maple Grove, Ravine Cemetery, East Hill, Sunnyside, Elmwood and Forest Hill. Spring Grove was decided upon by the cemetery trustees in August.

The cemetery trustees contracted with John L. Culley, a civil engineer from Cleveland, to lay out the grounds and plat the lots of the new cemetery. Mr. Culley reportedly worked on both Woodland and Lake View cemeteries in Cleveland, both historic "rural" cemeteries. An announcement regarding the commencement of sale of lots in Spring Grove stated "We now have one of the most beautifully arranged and handsomely located cemeteries in the country. East Alley has been widened to an avenue, and the main entrance to the ground is located in the center. A broad avenue runs in a serpentine course through the meadow to the cemetery property, and thence branches north and south running around the ground. The grounds have been divided into sections from 1 to 6, with roadways completely around each section, making it convenient of access by carriages … The lots are of various sizes, being 10' x 16', 12' x 16', 15' x 15', 16' x16', 20' x 20' and 265' x 25', according to the lay of the ground … " (1883)

By May 1884, the Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association raised $230 which they decided to spend on the "formation of a miniature lake at a prominent point in Spring Grove Cemetery, which will materially add to the sacred ground." (Medina County Gazette, May 2^nd, 1884) That summer, the trustees signed a contract for the chapel/vault to be constructed. The stone building was designed to be 25' square and to have a vault below ground with a chapel above. The vault was used for temporary storage when the weather made excavating a grave impractical.

In August 1884, slightly more than a year after Spring Grove was established, the Medina County Gazette offered this assessment "Medina can now boast of having the handsomest burying grounds of any of her sister towns. They consist of 30 acres, situated in the east part of the village, a part of the grounds being meadows and a part woodland, the latter cut up in ravines, which gives a variety to the landscape. Two springs in these ravines furnish water year round, and in the lower part of the grounds a natural hollow has been enlarged to form a lake." The lake became such an attractive feature in the cemetery, that the Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association set about to raise additional funds to form another lake in the upper grounds. This was accomplished by the following summer.

The improvement of Spring Grove Cemetery continued to attract community attention and when the idea of creating a Soldiers' Monument in Medina was first discussed, locating it in the cemetery was the popular choice. The selected location, near the entrance, ensured that it would always be a visual landmark. In fact, when it was first constructed in 1888, it was visible from Public Square, at least four blocks away. The local G.A.R. post was given the charge of selecting a suitable design. The Medina County Gazette reported "The entire work of erecting the monument has been placed in the hands of Mr. Daniel Hemmeter, the well known marble cutter of this village and he will at once go to work on its construction. It is to be entirely of gray granite, with a triple base 6'6" in width and 4'5" in height, upon which rests the die with four Corinthian columns and a beautifully chiseled cap, all of which is surmounted by a statue of a volunteer soldier, seven feet in height. The total height of the monument will be twenty-three and one-half feet, and its cost two thousand dollars." Some of the funding for the monument came from funds held by the 79^th Battalion Ohio National Guard when it was mustered out of service at the end of the war. They stipulated that the funds be turned over to an association that would erect a suitable monument. The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association also provided some of the funding for the monument. The remaining funding was provided by subscription.

After the successful dedication of the Soldiers' Monument, planning continued for additional improvements to the cemetery. Having been successful in several other fundraising endeavors, the Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association began to raise funds in 1890 for the creation of a proper entrance gate. By 1892, the funds were in hand and architect Alexander Koehler prepared the design for the triple-arch sandstone entrance. The name "Spring Grove" was inscribed above the central arch.

By the 1890s there had been considerable improvement of the cemetery grounds, and as a result, little major new construction took place until the construction of the mausoleum in 1921. Built just a few years after the end of World War I, this building is the largest in the cemetery. It housed vaults that could be purchased by individuals. The completion of the mausoleum ends the period of significance, as it was the last major building to be constructed by the Cemetery Association during its initial period of development from 1883-1921.

During the mid-late 20^th Century, the grounds of Spring Grove Cemetery continued to evolve. The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association ceased to be a major force in raising funds for improvement projects. The open meadow was gradually platted for burials, and by 1930, the entire cemetery was platted into nineteen sections (an increase from the original six). Although platted, there are large areas of the cemetery that still remain open lawn. The entrance gate, Soldiers' Monument, chapel/vault and mausoleum continue to be prominent features in the historic cemetery. The upper lake was filled in during the mid-20^th Century, but it was rebuilt recently and is again a focal point in the center of the cemetery. The wooded ravines and a lower lake remain intact. Trees that were planted over time have become mature trees, while some of the older trees along the entrance drive have been replaced with newer trees. There are a number of ornamental trees scattered throughout the cemetery, which add color and depth to the landscape in the spring and fall.

Medina's first cemetery was set aside as a public necessity when the town was platted in 1818. Following the New England tradition of burial customs, early towns frequently set aside land as common community burial grounds. This was the case in Connecticut and it is not surprising that Medina, located in Connecticut's Western Reserve, would follow that practice. Other than setting aside land within the newly established village of Medina, there was no specific planning that took place to create a beautiful space that would be considered a community asset. By the time the Old Town Cemetery was nearing capacity in the early 1880s, the American view of the cemetery design had changed considerably.

The beginning of the "Rural Cemetery Movement" in the U.S. can be traced to the success of Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston (1831), Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia (1836, Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore (1838) and others. These cemeteries were usually established on elevated sites on the outskirts of cities. They were inspired by "romantic perceptions of nature, art, national identity and the melancholy theme of death."

As Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio, superintendent Adolph Strauch introduced the lawn plan system which de-emphasized monuments in favor of unbroken lawn scenery, or common open space. Writing in support of this concept and the value of unified design, fellow landscape architect and cemetery engineer Jacob Weidenmann brought out Modern Cemeteries: An Essay on the Improvement and Proper Management of Rural Cemeteries in 1888."

Spring Grove Cemetery in Medina reflects this transition. It was established on the outskirts of Medina on a site that had natural features (a meadow, woodlands, ravines and spring) that were utilized to create a serene and dignified environment, qualities that were consistent with the rural cemetery movement. It was designed by John L. Culley, who reportedly was involved in the design of both the Woodland (1852) and Lakewood (1869) cemeteries in Cleveland. It that is the case, he certainly would have been cognizant of the latest design philosophy regarding cemeteries. Both Woodland and Lake View Cemeteries share certain characteristics with Spring Grove. They all have curvilinear roads, irregularly-shaped plats for burials, buildings scattered throughout rather than clustered in a certain location, and Lake View and Spring Grove both have lakes. The plan for Spring Grove reflects the move toward a lawn cemetery, with the burials initially planned for the wooded area, while the open meadow and meandering drives were to remain open space. The lakes, which were created by the Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association in 1884-1885, further enhanced the rural natural character of the site

The architecture of Spring Grove Cemetery reflects trends in architectural design during the period. The first two structures, the chapel/vault and the entrance gate, are both solidly constructed of sandstone. While not high-style architecture, they tend toward the Romanesque revival style. The chapel/vault was a practical building with a vault below grade that was used for storage of bodies awaiting burial when the weather was inclement and digging a grave impractical. The small chapel above was a somber space with few window openings and little natural light. The entrance gate features three round-arched openings, a large central opening for the carriage drive flanked by smaller openings for pedestrians. Wrought iron gates on each made it possible to close the grounds at night. The solid structure clearly marks the entrance, but it also makes a statement about the importance of design and the sense of entry into a hallowed place.

The mausoleum is an early 20^th Century structure. Dating from 1921, it has a very different character than the earlier structures, although it too is constructed of stone to convey a sense of permanence. The mausoleum has Neo-Classical Revival elements and its character-defining features include its smooth stone exterior, central entrance with double bronze doors with stained glass window above, pilasters flanking the front entrance and stained glass windows throughout.

According to Building a Firm Foundation - Medina County Architecture 1811-1900, Spring Grove "was planned to escape the gloom of the churchyard and create a garden for the living as well as the dead. As they watched the passing of the seasons, mourners found comfort in the healing process and the rebirth of nature's own cycle. Thus cemeteries became parks - a shrine to the dead and a comfort to the living. Spring Grove in Medina, Woodlawn in Lodi and Wadsworth and Mound Hill in Seville were developed under the influence of this cemetery movement. Small ponds, meandering paths, fountains, decorative iron fences and stately trees provided a park-like setting and attracted picnickers and strollers. The gravestones themselves became works of art-sculptures in a garden. Cemeteries became a source of community pride. Landscape architects and cemetery designers were hired to aid the community in the design of these showplaces."

Community pride was a very important element in the establishment, design and improvements to Spring Grove Cemetery. Once the community decided that a new cemetery was needed, they took great care to find a site that met the requirements of being both near to town but also far enough away from any homes to prevent objections to the plan. While two sites met the above requirements, they chose the site that had "a nice grove, and it is broken up into several ravines, which could be made much of in beautifying the grounds, even though the cost was $100 per acre instead of the $75 an acre cost of a site that had fewer natural features. (Medina County Gazette, April 13^th, 1883)

The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association formed immediately after the decision was made to create a new cemetery. These women had a major impact on the development of the cemetery. Through ice cream socials, picnics, bakes sales at the county fair, musical and theatrical performances and other special fund-raising events, they were successful in raising money to contribute toward the construction of the chapel/vault, the Soldiers' Monument, and creation of the two lakes. They also fully funded the entrance gate to commemorate their commitment to Spring Grove. This was an extremely active group and participation in it appears to have been a major social and philanthropic activity for Medina women during the last two decades of the 19^th Century. Their pride in the cemetery was evident and it likely encouraged others to contribute and become involved.

Spring Grove Cemetery may be modest in scale when compared with major cemeteries in nearby Cleveland and Akron, but it was a major undertaking for a community with a population of only 1500 at the time the cemetery was conceived. Spring Grove Cemetery has a high level of integrity in its design, structures, natural and man-made features. It clearly conveys the sense of a late 19^th Century cemetery and continues to be considered an important community asset. The Friends of Spring Grove Cemetery was formed and it has completed several projects, including restoration of the entrance gate, reconstruction of the upper lake, repair of the chapel/vault and maintenance and improvements to the landscaping around the Soldiers' Monument and throughout the cemetery.

Site Description

Spring Grove Cemetery, in Medina, Ohio, covers an area of 34 acres and is located on the east side of the city at the intersections of East Liberty, East Washington and Spring Grove streets. Established in 1883, the cemetery's design was influenced by the "rural" cemetery movement popular during the second half of the 19^th Century. The historic resources located within the cemetery include a stone chapel/vault (1884), A Civil War Soldiers' Monument (1888), a stone entrance gate (1892) and a mausoleum (1921). These buildings and monument are located within a planned landscape of curvilinear roads, open lawn, trees, and two lakes. At the time it was established, the cemetery was on the eastern edge of the original town plat; now late 19^th and early 20^th Century residential neighborhoods border it on the west and south and several schools are located on the northern edges. A creek forms a portion of the northern boundary of the cemetery.

A winding tree-lined road leads from the entrance of the cemetery, along Spring Grove Street, to a circular area where the Soldiers' Monument is located. The chapel/vault is located adjacent to the monument, with the mausoleum located slightly south of the chapel. All of the roads through the cemetery are curvilinear and quite narrow, in some places. They surround the various burial sections. Two lakes, one at a slightly higher elevation, are located in the northern half of the cemetery. The northwestern quarter of the cemetery has mature trees, as does the northern boundary. Open lawn, with scattered trees, can be found along the southern and eastern edges of the cemetery. The contrast in treatment - open lawn, tree-lined roads, lakes and fountain, and wooded areas provided constantly changing vistas.

The Chapel/Vault was the first building constructed on the cemetery grounds. Completed just one year after the cemetery was established, it is a simple rectangular structure with a gable roofline. The building is constructed on a rubble stone foundation with rock-faced stone walls. The roof is covered with rectangular and octagonal slates set in an alternating pattern. The entrance is centered in the facade with a circular window in the gable end above. A stone lintel is inscribed with the date - 1884. It is a solid and austere building with few window openings and little ornamentation. B. Brown of Brunswick Ohio was the contractor.

The Soldiers' Monument is located near the entrance to the cemetery. It was dedicated in November, 1888. The monument is composed of a substantial stone structure that forms the base of the stone sculpture of a Civil War soldier. The base, located on a mound that measures 120' in circumference, includes three tiers of rectangular stone, with the top two bearing inscriptions; above this base is another section with four fluted Corinthian columns in the corners and a carved pointed-arch design on each of the four sides; additional levels of stone create a complex base of the sculpture of a Union soldier. The base bears inscriptions of Medina soldiers killed during the Civil War. The total height is approximately 24 feet, Its imposing scale and prime location make it a major focal point in the cemetery. Medina Marbleworks created the monument.

The Entrance Gate was completed in 1892, with funds raised by the Ladies' Cemetery Association. Designed by Cleveland architect, Alexander Koehler, the entrance gate is constructed of buff rock-faced sandstone. It features three arches, a large central arch for carriages (now automobiles) flanked by smaller arches for pedestrians. Wrought iron gates are located on each of the entrance arches. The central portion of the entrance gate features stone piers at the corners and has a modillion block cornice. The treatment of the flanking arches is simpler at the top. All of the arches feature voussoirs constructed of square stone blocks with keystones. Decorative buttresses are located on both sides of the bases of each of the four sections of stone rising from the foundation. Spring Grove is carved in the stone below the cornice.

The next structure completed by the Cemetery Association was the Mausoleum, constructed in 1921. Although this building is also constructed in stone as are all of the other structures described above, it has a different architectural character. The appearance is somewhat Neo-Classical Revival in design with its horizontal proportions and flat roofline, cornice and parapet, stone pilasters, entrance with double bronze doors and stained glass transom and stained glass windows at either end. It is a solid and somber building.

The layout of the cemetery has evolved over time as new sections were opened. Originally, the burials took place in the wooded area, located along the western and northern sections of the cemetery. The Ladies' Cemetery Association created a small lake by damming a creek that ran through the property. Another lake was added just a few years later. As the cemetery expanded and new sections were opened, more burials took place in the open lawn area.

The cemetery retains its pastoral setting, curvilinear pattern of roads, irregularly shaped burial sections, mature trees, and two small lakes. It also retains its original 34-acre size. The cemetery and its structures and monument convey the sense of the rural cemetery movement and retains integrity of location, setting, design, materials and association. It has been an important community public space for over 100 years and continues today to be the site of community walking tours, celebrations and memorial services.