For at least 50 years they provided much of the leadership and the funds necessary to expand and transform the appearance of the cemetery. The group's purpose was to help maintain and beautify the grounds which many people at the time considered unkempt and unattractive. ![]() Perhaps the most important date in the history of the cemetery was 1880, when the Ladies' Cemetery Association was founded. ![]() Ravenna Township took over ownership in 1821. It is likely that it was laid out something like a traditional church graveyard or town burial ground with a grid of paths giving access to closely spaced tombstones. The earliest portion of Maple Grove, originally a private burial ground called Evergreen Cemetery, was a one-and-a-half acre parcel in the southernmost part of the current acreage in what are now blocks 1 and 2. Also, despite the fact that medical science knew little about how most diseases were transmitted, there was enough evidence to know that locating burial places at a distance from residences was a good idea. There had been an earlier cemetery at the southeast corner of Sycamore Street and Riddle Avenue laid out by Benjamin Tappan in 1808, but it soon became apparent that the growing town needed a larger burial ground. Its origins date back to 1813, making it one of the oldest continuously used public places in the Western Reserve. ![]() Unfortunately, like many cemeteries across the country, its character and beauty are threatened. Although most Ravennans probably don't think very often about Maple Grove Cemetery, it is a really fine example of a uniquely American landscape type.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |