"..... Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum dates from 1844, when members of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society formed a cemetery association". They took their inspiration from contemporary rural cemeteries such as Pe're Lachaise in Paris, and Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. December 1, 1844 Salmon P. Chase and others prepared the articles of incorporation. The cemetery was formally chartered on January 21, 1845, and the first burial took place on September 1, 1845. In 1855 Adolph Strauch, a renowned landscape architect, was hired to renovate the grounds. His sense and layout of the "garden cemetery", made of lakes, trees and shrubs, is what visitors today still see. In 1987, the association officially changed its name to "Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum" to better represent its' remarkable collection of both native and exotic trees, as well as the state and national champion trees.
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is comprised of 733 acres, of which 400 acres is landscaped and is maintained. It's grounds include 12 ponds (lakes), many fine tombstones and memorials, and various examples of Gothic Revival architecture and National Championship trees. It is estimated to contain 40 miles of internal roadway, and it is a non-profit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States. On March 29, 2007, "Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum" was designated as a "National Historic Landmark". This Writer has previously photographed in the cemetery on numerous occasions, and it is a favored place for many such enthusiast to visit.
There are many famous persons buried in Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. Among them are William Procter and James Gamble, founders of Procter and Gamble, a Cincinnati based worldwide company. Bernard Kroger, founder of Kroger Supermarkets, the largest grocery chain in the United States. Salmon P. Chase, Chief Justice of the United States. John McLean, Associate Justice of the United States and many other Civil War figures, numerous church leaders as well as Henry Stanberry, Attorney General of the United States. Alphonso Taft, politician, and father of a historic President William Howard Taft of the United States. There are numerous memorials in the Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum such as "The Dexter Memorial" which this Writer pictures in this presentation that follows....
"The main entry gate into Spring Grove and Arboretum re/sign"
"The central cemetery's office location with it's internal splendor"
"One of many lakes with beautiful fountains and gorgeous settings"
"The extremely gothic Dexter Memorial at Spring Grove Cemetery"
"A Civil War soldiers memorial located in Spring Grove Cemetery"
"Typical elaborate architecture re/bridge over lake to burial facilities"
"..... The Cincinnati Horticultural Society established a graveyard there at a time when this area was considered the outskirts---close enough to be visited, but far enough out to ensure an idyllic setting and unimpeded expansion. The creation of a new cemetery was made necessary by a particularly bad cholera outbreak in the 1830s' and forties. The river and the canal made disease a way of life in Cincinnati at this time, and local church yards filled up fast. Modeling it in part after Pe're La Chaise in Paris, the Horticultural Society established Spring Grove as a non-profit nondenominational corporation. Salmon P. Chase, later Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, lobbied for the charter, which was granted by special act of the legislature on January 21, 1845.
The Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a great place to visit and weddings are often held there due to the settings of such beauty and uniqueness. You can contact the Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum at the following address; Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum @ 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45232. Phone: 513-681-7526. Fax: 513-853-6802.....
More Spring Grove & Arboretum photos can be found in the Gallery Photos!
