Bridgetown Cemetery Tour #2 Preview

1

Administration Building

This building houses the cemetery archives, administration offices, and equipment storage. This building was built in 1961 with volunteer labor from a bricklayers union. An addition was built onto the back in 1963 to accommodate additional equipment.

2

Green Township Cemetery

This slightly rounded section of ground represents the remains of the Green Township Cemetery, sometimes referred to as the "Township Cemetery". This cemetery was located on the south side of Harrison Ave about 80 feet west of Glenmore Ave. This cemetery was a small community cemetery serving the Green Township hamlet known as Cheviot. This cemetery was established in 1822. In 1955, after several decades of neglect, the headstones were removed and the area was made into a grass parking lot. In 1975, the Bethel Church, then known as Westwood Baptist Church, which owned the land, sold the property to the City of Cheviot. The city removed the bodies from the cemetery and any headstones that were left and reinterred the remains and stones here in 1976. A single marker was placed here by the city of Cheviot out of respect to the many pioneers of Green Township and Cheviot who are buried here.

3

Frondorf Family Cemetery

This cemetery was owned by the Frondorf Family in a deed that dated back to 1854. In 1988 the property was sold to a developer, who petitioned the Ohio Probate Court to move the burials and any headstones to Bridgetown Cemetery. In April 1989, seven graves and three headtones were re-interred in Bridgetown Cemetery.

4

Location of tributary creek

This tributary creek ran from the border of Cheviot and Westwood close to Wagon Wheel Saloon, followed Glenway Ave and Westbourne Drive and flowed into Schaible Creek. Schaible Creek empties into Muddy Creek, which flows into the Ohio River. This natural barrier prevented the two properties from being properly connected until 1963 when Metroploitan Sewer District enclosed the creek in a large sewer pipe, and fill dirt from the widening of Glenway Ave created the gently rolling grassy knoll you see in this picture.

5

Materials Pits

This area is for materials for the cemetery grounds crew to store top soil, mulch, sand, and gravel for use on the cemetery grounds. Built in 1964, the walls are three feet high and are made from basic cinderblock.

6

Contemplation Garden

This is the newest garden created in the cemetery. At the center of the garden is a stone bench, backed by a 4 foot angel. Framed by two large trees, this is a popular spot for cemetery visitors to stop and enjoy a quiet place to remember their loved ones, or have their lunch on a nice day. This garden was created in 1998, and the angel was added in 2003.

7

Garden Section Monument

This monument was modeled after a monument cemetery trustees viewed at a funerary trade show in the late 1950's. On one side, the monument reads "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." The other side reads "In my fathers house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." This is a popular spot for visitors to the Garden Section, which features all markers flush with the ground, and limitations to the number of flowers and decorations placed on graves.

8

Angel Land

This section is the infant and child section. Marked by a small monumnet in the center of the section, the monument features a small statue of a baby being cradeled in Angel Wings.

9

Flag Pole Monument

This Flag pole was installed in 1987 after a generous donation by Guardian Savings Bank. Previously a grove of bushes, this acts as a centerpiece of the cemetery entrance off of Harrison Ave, and is the first major object viewed upon enetering the cemetery grounds from Harrison Ave.

10

Original Stone Pillars with Iron Gates

These original stone pillars were built in the early 1950's to act as a stylish entrance to the newer sections of the cemetery off of Harrison Ave. The iron gates which were hung from these pillars were originally the gates placed at the entrance to the cemetery off of Bridgetown Road.

11

Lords Prayer monument

This monument was installed in the early 1950's and is inscribed with the Lords Prayer. It acts as a center focal point for the sections which back up the housing built on adjacent Raceview Road in the 1950's.

12

In-Ground Cremation Section

This section, laid out in November 2017, is dedicated to in-ground cremation burials. This section was created in response to the growing number of cremations occuring after the start of the 21st century in the United States. All lots are smaller than traditional burial lots, and can fit two cremation containers with concrete urns.

13

Newer areas to be developed

This land represents the next sections to be developed. If current projections are correct, when fully laid out, this section of land will take over 50 years before newer land will need to be developed.

14

Service Entrance

This land represents a lower eleveation that is slowly being filled in by excavated fill dirt from other areas of the cemetery. Organic materials like grass clippings, tree and bush trimmings, and fallen leaves from cemetery trees are also placed here. If projections are correct, this area will not need to be developed for another 50 years.

15

Funeral Entrance/Tour End

This represents the last stop on the tour. This small piece of property was purchased in 1964 and is currently used as the entrance for funeral processions into the cemetery. This entrance is closed to through traffic at all other times. Traffic on Weirman Ave is lower, and provides processions the opportunity to enter the cemetery without worry for traffic incidents on busier roads.