Butternut Ridge Cemetery (North Olmsted)

As far as graveyards go, Butternut Ridge is definitely on the smaller scale, but is certainly not lacking in history. Graves located here date back to the early 1800's and include the veterans of more than six American wars, including the Revolution. This area was originally settled by Issac Scales in the early 1800's. Unfortunately, Isaac died at the age of 35 in 1821 and the land remained unsettled for another fourteen years. In 1835 Charles Olmsted gave the area to the Township to be used for burials. The small crypt that stands within the graveyard was erected in 1879.

As I walked through the area, I noticed that many headstones had been overturned and even smashed. Upon further investigation, it would appear that two morons completely trashed the place on May 22nd, 2005, effectively destroying and vandalizing over 100 tombstones and monuments. The two kids responsible (ages 15 and 16) finally confessed (a mere two days after the act) and both recieved felony vandalism charges. The James A. Garfield Camp #142 apparently made donations to help with the repair, but I can't really see that any of that restoration came to fruition over the past two years. It's clear that the toppled stones were just placed back, but the broken ones are just piled haphazardly on top of the graves.

I haven't heard any claims of the place to be haunted by anything other than a groundhog (who lives in a burrow under the crypt), but on my way back from Old Chestnut Grove (entry for that coming soon) I caught the sight of it as I was driving and just had to go back to check it out. I could certainly understand, however, if it were. I'd be pissed if someone smashed my tombstone, too. I only took pictures and walked around, I'll have to go back to this one in the future and try some EVP's. Definitely not at night, though, this graveyard is routinely patrolled for obvious reasons, two patrol cars drove by within the thirty minutes I spent walking around.

Butternut Ridge Cemetery can be found by taking 252 South (Exit 6A on 480 towards Olmsted Falls) on Great Northern Boulevard and turning right on Butternut Ridge Road. It's on the right side of the road. There's a bunch of construction going on down there right now, since exit 6A is closed, just take exit 6B and turn around to go the other way.