Return to Spring Grove Historical Walk
Saturday, August 3 - 1:00 PM
Not often opened to the public, this year’s Historical Walk will include a tour of the 1920s mausoleum. Presentations will be conducted by Friends of the Cemetery members and area genealogy experts. The free event will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Spring Grove Cemetery. Attendees should gather at The Chapel.
The mausoleum at Spring Grove Cemetery was built after WW1, probably around 1920, although ads for buying crypts appeared in the Medina County Gazette as early as 1911. It holds 143 crypts and there are no vacancies. In 2013, the Friends of the Cemetery restored all stained glass, the bronze doors and exterior structure stone. Long-time residents remember the mausoleum usually remained unlocked during the day and kids often sought refuge inside on hot summer days. In the old days, every family of an interred person was given a key to the mausoleum so they could visit whenever they pleased.
Familiar names that can be found in the mausoleum include Branch, Spieth, and Foskett, among others. Also interred in the mausoleum are Cornell W. Starr and his wife Sally. He was a deputy sheriff and she was a teacher in the Medina Schools. Their stories will be among those shared during the event.
Also featured on this year’s walk are those whose past are influencing current events:
Sophia Huntington Parker. Her estate provided the funding for the Sophia Huntington Parker home for women. Her family’s farmhouse has been in the news recently as it must be moved from its current location by November 1st of this year.
R.M. and Elizabeth McDowell and their daughter Bessie, as well as Florence Phillips, daughter of F.O. Phillips. The Medina County Historical Society has a campaign underway to purchase and preserve the historic and beautiful McDowell-Phillips house located at 205 South Prospect Street.
Stories and history will also include James Collins, who died tragically due to suicide in Spring Grove Cemetery and Earl Foote, Sr., who was a local housing developer.
This event, in its 11th year, is family-friendly with easy access for strollers and wheelchairs. Historic Spring Grove Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located at the corner of East Washington and Spring Grove Street.