Back in July, during my trip to Cincinnati,
Haley took me to an abandoned cemetery. She mentioned that her dad had it featured on his company's website, and said she would get the directions so we could check it out. Seriously, find friends who are okay doing crazy stuff with you. Also, having friends who live in the places you visit is a plus because they can suggest things you'd never find in a a guide book. I think I might be the exception because I really couldn't suggest cool places in Northeast Ohio. The cemetery was on the way to her parents' house, so we didn't have to go out of our way to find it. It was also very small, so it fit right into our busy weekend.
As you can tell, the cemetery was pretty wooded, and I have to admit I was not wearing the right clothes or shoes to be walking. I didn't get the best shots, but what are you going to do? This cemetery is now the eternal resting place of the 64 original settlers of Finneytown, a neighboring city, which included several Revolutionary War veterans as well as the founder of Finneytown. According to
this article, the first burial took place in 1799 and the last one taking place in 1891. While it appears mostly abandoned, newer headstones for the veterans replace the older, rundown ones.
The cemetery itself isn't super spooky, but as soon as we got out of the car Haley told me a girl was murdered and her body was found at the reservoir next to the cemetery. I can deal with ghosts, but the thought of someone being snatched and murdered by a random person scares the bejesus out of me. Fortunately, the girls killer was found but it only happened in 2009 which hits close to home because I was living in Cincinnati at that time. Despite the dismal history, the cemetery is worth the visit!
How to get to the cemetery
The cemetery sits on Winton Ridge Lane to the immediate south of the Winton Water Reservoir. You'll drive past the building and it's right next to the driveway. You will probably miss it if you aren't looking for it.
Would you visit this cemetery?
