Spring Grove Cemetery
Why it's listed
Spring Grove Cemetery covers 34 acres on the east side of Medina, Ohio. Established in 1883 to replace the nearly full Old Town Cemetery, it was laid out by Cleveland civil engineer John L. Culley in the style of the rural cemetery movement, with winding tree-lined drives, open lawn, wooded ravines and two small lakes. Its historic structures include a stone chapel/vault from 1884, a Civil War Soldiers' Monument dedicated in 1888, a sandstone entrance gate designed by Cleveland architect Alexander Koehler in 1892, and a Neo-Classical Revival mausoleum built in 1921. The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association raised money for the lakes, the chapel, the monument and the gate. The cemetery was listed for its design under Criterion C and retains its pastoral setting, original size and road pattern. It remains a community space used for walking tours, celebrations and memorial services, and a friends group maintains and restores its features.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion C for its design following the late 19th century rural cemetery movement, with a natural setting, winding drives, lakes and carefully designed structures. It replaced the earlier Old Town Cemetery and retains a high level of integrity in its design, structures and natural features. The Ladies' Cemetery Improvement Association's fundraising shaped its development.
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 06000482, listed June 7, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Spring Grove St., Medina |
|---|---|
| County | Medina County |
| Listed | June 7, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000482 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1880-1921 |
| Architect / builder | John L. Culley, civil engineer, Cleveland, Ohio; Alexander Koehler, architect, Cleveland, Ohio |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century/Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a cemetery and community space; retains its original 34-acre size, and the Friends of Spring Grove Cemetery have restored the entrance gate, rebuilt the upper lake and repaired the chapel/vault. |
| Acreage | 34 |
| Coordinates | 41.14003, -81.85134 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 06000482.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.