{"nrhp_refnum":"80003236","name":"Akron Rural Cemetery Buildings","other_names":["Glendale Cemetery Group"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"150 Glendale Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Akron","county":"Summit County","state":"OH","lat":41.08483977900005,"lon":-81.52545859599996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-09-27","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A group of four stone cemetery buildings at the main entrance of Akron Rural Cemetery (known as Glendale Cemetery), 150 Glendale Avenue, Akron, Ohio: a caretaker's residence (1869), Memorial Chapel (1875-76), bell tower (1883) and office building (1903).","why_significant":"The nomination calls the group the most significant collection of Gothic buildings in Akron. Memorial Chapel is described as a superlative example of high Victorian Gothic and one of the finest works of local architect Frank O. Weary. The other buildings complement the chapel by their siting and architectural harmony.","narrative":"Four stone buildings greet visitors at the main entrance of Akron Rural Cemetery, popularly called Glendale Cemetery. They are a caretaker's residence from 1869, Memorial Chapel from 1875-76, a bell tower from 1883 and an office building from 1903. Memorial Chapel, designed by Akron architect Frank O. Weary, is the centerpiece. Built in the high Victorian Gothic style on a cruciform plan, it has rock-faced stone walls, a slate roof with a central spire, a rose window and stained glass honoring Civil War figures. Buckley Post, Grand Army of the Republic, raised the $25,000 cost, and the chapel was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1876, to local Union soldiers who died in the war. A 1978 city landmark survey found only three other truly high Victorian Gothic buildings in Akron. The nomination considers the surrounding buildings well designed and in harmony with the chapel, making the group the city's most significant collection of Gothic architecture.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899, 1900- (specific dates 1869, 1875-76, 1883, 1903)","architect_builder":"Frank O. Weary (Chapel and Bell Tower)","architectural_style":"Victorian Gothic (high Victorian Gothic for Memorial Chapel)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition, occupied, on its original site. A 1977 sewer line explosion damaged the caretaker's residence porch, which was removed, and a chapel window that was restored and awaiting reinstallation.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:12.345212-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/80003236.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71991545","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akron_Rural_Cemetery_Buildings","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4701693"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/summit-county/akron-rural-cemetery-buildings-80003236/"}