By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor
The Groveport Cemetery Committee will strictly enforce cemetery rules when a cemetery clean up begins in March. The Groveport Cemetery was established in 1809.
The Groveport Cemetery will undergo a clean up from March 15 through April 30.
The Groveport Cemetery Committee will also strictly enforce the rules governing grave decorations in the historic cemetery.
Groveport City Councilman Shawn Cleary, who is also a member of the Cemetery Committee, said the clean up will include the removal of all grave decorations that are in violation of the cemetery rules.
“The rules have been in place for many years, but some people are not following them,” said Cleary. “We need everybody to abide by the rules.”
He said people have planted trees, hung bird feeders, erected wooden crosses, put up fences, and installed other items at grave sites. They also have not followed the flower rules.
“This makes it difficult for us to maintain the cemetery properly, particularly when mowing the grass,” said Cleary. “I understand people wanting to decorate the graves, but it’s become unmanageable. We respect everyone, but we want to keep the cemetery nice.”
Cleary said the removed decorative items will be stored at the city of Groveport’s Public Service building, 7400 Groveport Road (located behind the Groveport Recreation Center) until April 30. These items will be disposed of if they are not claimed by that date.
Cleary said the cemetery rules are posted at the cemetery gates and throughout the cemetery.
“The cemetery is a sacred place and we want to keep it that way,” said Cleary. “It’s a place of history.”
Groveport Cemetery rules can be found online at www.groveport.org/452/Cemetery.
For information, call the Groveport Cemetery sexton at the Public Service facility at 614-836-3910.
Mapping Groveport Cemetery
The Groveport Cemetery Committee purchased software that is being used to create a modern digital map of grave locations in the Groveport Cemetery.
Cleary said Groveport Council Clerk Ruthanne Ross is putting in a lot of time creating the map.
“We’re trying to find all the old records,” said Cleary. “We keep finding them in different places.”
He said the Groveport Cemetery mapping project could take up to two years to complete.
“This map will make it easier for people to find loved ones’ burial sites and to explore history,” said Cleary.
Cemetery “open house”
An “open house” will be held at the Groveport Cemetery and Hendron Cemetery on Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon, according to Cleary.
“There’s a lot of history there,” said Cleary of the two cemeteries.
The Groveport Cemetery was established in 1809. It is located on Wirt Road near Groveport’s Heritage Park.
The Hendren Cemetery, established in 1801, is located in Groveport on the west side of State Route 317, about a half mile north of Main Street/Groveport Road and about a quarter mile south of the railroad tracks. Its gravel driveway on State Route 317 is protected by a locked gate because of the cemetery’s isolated nature.
