Harper Mausoleum and Harper, George W., Memorial Entrance
Why it's listed
Set on a curbed grassy mound in Cedarville's North Cemetery, the Harper Mausoleum is a roughly 20-foot cube of white granite built in 1915 in the Egyptian Revival style. Battered corner piers, columns with palm leaf capitals, a cavetto cornice with a vulture-and-sundisk relief, two lion-sized sphinxes and bronze doors with lotus grilles define its look. A tree-lined road leads from it to the George W. Harper Memorial Entrance, where ornate cast iron gates stand between massive granite monoliths topped with spheres. Harper, who founded Cedarville's first bank in 1881 and died in 1908, was a local benefactor. His widow paid $15,000 for the mausoleum, built by the Dodds granite firm of Xenia, whose work included the monument at West Point. A nearly identical mausoleum stands in the Bronx. The structure remains in excellent condition and is a local landmark maintained by the Township.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mausoleum and entrance are significant examples of early 20th century funerary architecture and landscape design that reoriented the small rural cemetery. The mausoleum reflects Egyptian-inspired funerary imagery popular after archaeological work in the Middle East. It is also a local landmark tied to banker George Harper, and its design and workmanship have wider significance through a nearly identical mausoleum in the Bronx and the work of a nationally known monument firm.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000115, listed February 11, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | North Cemetery, OH 72, Cedarville |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | February 11, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000115 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1915 |
| Architect / builder | George Dodds & Sons Granite Co. Inc., Xenia, Ohio; Keene, New Hampshire |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Egyptian Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Generally in excellent and intact condition, with minor spalling of the base and loss of the original stained glass in the rear window. Maintained by the Township. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.75417, -83.81228 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000115.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5663410
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.