Exploring Almost Forgotten Gravesites in the Great State of Ohio

Dedicated to cemetery preservation in the great state of Ohio


"A cemetery may be considered as abandoned when all or practically all of the bodies have been Removed therefrom and no bodies have been buried therein for a great many years, and the cemetery has been so long neglected as entirely to lose its identity as such, and is no longer known, recognized and respected by the public as a cemetery. 1953 OAG 2978."

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Posting Photographs of the Mausoleums Damaged at Elmwood Cemetery - Lorain, Ohio

The "Lorain MorningJournal" has published a plea to find families affected by the destruction of the mausoleums at Elmwood Cemetery. 

The story was published on Thursday, November 10, 2011. 

Click on the newspaper name above to read the story.  

Unfortunately, as of November 26, 2011, many were already blocked in with cinder and cement blocks to ensure that further vandalism does not happen.  Thus, the mausoleums can no longer be entered by any remaining family members. 

Longer shot view of four of the Mausoleums that were broken into and were subjected to varying degrees of damage including removal of iron gate doors.  Also several structures sustained removal one way or another of their stained glass windows from the sides. 

The ones that had the iron railings over their stained glass windows were spared from being taken.  I imagine in some cases, the criminals used the larger windows to gain entrance to the inside so they could work out of view without being as easily detected to remove and steal the doors.


This is the largest mausoleum at Elmwood Cemetery. 
It belongs to the Thew family of Captain Richard Thew.  

The Nielsen Family mausoleum that was severely damaged at Elmwood Cemetery

Louis and Elizabeth Szanto mausoleum with its removed front door.

Close-up view of the stained glass window on the Szanto mausoleum that was spared during the vandalism attack. 

Mausoleum of A. T. Grills with door entrance blocked in as a permanent fixture now a part of  the structure that renders the opening unaccessible. 

Mausoleum of Harriet and William Little with blocked in front door opening.