Ohio History Connection - "Enact Better Legislation to Protect Ohio's Human Burial Places"

Among the main focus issues of the Ohio History Connection on Ohio Statehood Day for its 2019 "Legislative Priorities" will be enacting better legislation to protect Ohio's human burial places.

  

This proposal helps us build upon and advance the belief that "All Cemeteries Matter" - which further translates into all gravesites and graves markers for them matter.  

Gravesites sit on land, whether it be at sprawling modern day cemeteries or "memorial park"settings, or on single gravesites left from long ago farm lands that have been built upon by developers.  These sacred spaces are more vulnerable than ever because too many have already been lost.  

Too much history and respect have already been lost.  One of the reasons for this crisis is that over time the laws provided little to no safeguards to protect them.  

Taking stronger steps now can prevent further harm to Ohio's cemeteries that they have for far too long faced.

IRLAB - Institute for Research and Learning in Archaeology and Bioarchaeology announces 2019 field experience in bioarchaeology in Ohio

HTCC - Harrison Township Cholera Cemetery

Harrison Township, Pickaway County, Ohio 

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Harrison Township Cemetery on "Find A Grave"

IRLAB - Institute for Research and Learning in Archaeology and Bioarchaeology

850 Michigan Avenue

Columbus, OH 43215

info@irlabnp.org

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"The application deadline is March 31, 2019. However, applications are reviewed as soon as they are received and successful applicants accepted on a first come, first served basis."

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CONTACT:

https://www.irlabnp.org/contact/

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"PROJECT DESCRIPTION"

"This exclusively field-based program, now in its second year, aims at familiarizing participants with the professional excavation of human remains from archaeological contexts. 

Participants will work side by side with professional archaeologists and bioarchaeologists in the excavations of a historic cemetery in central Ohio (HTCC).

The cemetery, located just 20 minutes away from downtown Columbus, was originally established as early as 1804 to serve as a burial ground for the local community. 

Due to its proximity to the Ohio-Erie canal, the site was subsequently used as a resting place for victims of the infectious disease cholera – an infection of the small intestine that killed tens of millions of people worldwide through various pandemics since 1815. The cemetery remained in use until 1859.

Preliminary investigations at the site have revealed the presence of several single burials with predominant east-west orientation, which appear largely undisturbed and lined up in the western two thirds of the cemetery. 

Several tombstones or simple markers are scattered throughout the field, but evidence of vandalism and consequent removal and restoration attempts by the township administration suggest that their current location does not mark any specific graves and does likely not correspond to the original layout of the cemetery."

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YouTube video introduction to the HTCC Excavation Project. 

Problems continue at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Avon, Lorain County, Ohio

Sharing the latest report of February 21, 2019 from Channel 5 in Cleveland -- compiled by news reporter Joe Pagonakis about Resthaven Memory Gardens in Avon, Lorain County, Ohio. :

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"Families say local cemetery conditions are disrespectful after several graves found submerged in water"

In the report we see the Cemetery Complaint Form's cover letter detailing the jurisdiction of the Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, which is important to understand because there are limits to their power and role in resolving complaints. 

This link is for the Cemetery Complaint Form, October 29, 2018 version, is the latest version. 

It is helpful to know in advance the type of information needed to properly complete the form; and thus present the strongest case for a satisfactory resolution of the problem cited for review.

Cemetery Complaint Form