Historic Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum in Cincinnati
I can’t believe I’ve lived in this area for so many years and JUST discovered this amazing Cincinnati landmark! Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is huge, beautiful, and full of history. Established in 1845, many prominent (and wealthy!) Cincinnati forefathers are buried here. Consisting of 733 acres of land, 44 miles of paved roads, a cascading waterfall and 15 lakes, it is the second-largest cemetery in the United States.
The Dexter mausoleum/chapel was built in 1866 for the present day equivalent of $1.3M. Built in the Gothic Revival style, its marble interior has 12 catacombs and a chapel with a 34 foot ceiling. The Dexter family made their fortune making KY bourbon.
When visiting, the self-guided walking tour is a great place to start.
Exploring the history, art, architecture, and landscape along this route takes approximately one to two hours. The tour guide brochure provides the history and background of 27 fascinating mausoleums, sarcophagi, monuments, and statues built primarily in the mid- to late 1800s.
Pictured above is the John Robinson mausoleum. He started the country’s first traveling circus in 1824 with three wagons, five horses, and a tent, eventually selling shares to the Ringling Brothers. A Google search of the Robinson Circus will reward you with a very interesting story!
Cedar Lake
There are fifteen lakes in Spring Grove. Cedar Lake, my favorite, is surrounded by mature Bald Cypress trees, including many “knees” that have grown from the roots. This lake looks like something you would expect to see in the South, not in Ohio!
The McAlpin Monument
George Washington McAlpin, the area department store magnate, is buried here.
Other prominent Cincinnatians include
Union Civil War General William Lytle
Gottlieb and Henry Muhlhauser, founders of the Muhlhauser brewery
Salmon Chase who served as Lincoln's Treasurer and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, as well as Governor of Ohio
Andrew Erkenbrecher, founder of the Cincinnati Zoo
And too many more to list here!
Interestingly, many well-known people buried here came to the United States as immigrants, and came from humble backgrounds.
I stumbled on this cool sarcophagus, below, during one of my late visits.
The Huenefeld Mausoleum
Several acclaimed landscape architects and horticulturalists were involved in designing Spring Grove’s beautiful landscape. One of the earliest, Adolph Strauch, brought his vision of magnificent pastoral spaces while maintaining a consistent theme, to Spring Grove.
Pictured is the back side of the mausoleum. Ernest Huenefeld immigrated from Germany in 1845 and was orphaned at age 8. He nonetheless became an extremely successful manufacturer of household products and kerosene stoves.
Civil War Section
There are 1008 graves of mostly Union soldiers, buried in concentric circles surrounding three upturned canons. The buried include 40 Union Civil War generals and one Confederate general.
Abraham Lincoln toured the cemetery in 1855.
A statue commemorating the Children’s Cemetery.
The self-guided tour is just the beginning. There is so much to explore and appreciate in Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. I spent several days here over the summer and just scratched the surface of its history and beauty!
Visit the cemetery’s website to learn more, or to book a private group tour.