Southwest Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Consecration Grove
Photographed by Craig Doda, April 11, 2026
1. Consecration Grove Marker
Near this spot (Section G) in the spring of 1849, families met to picnic and clear underbrush, converting the land from wooded pasture to a Rural Cemetery. On July 9th, 1849, in this "grove of trees", Green Lawn Cemetery was officially opened and consecrated as the city's primary cemetery.
The first burial had occurred here two days prior when 9 year old Leonora Perry, daughter of a board member and cholera victim, was committed (she was later removed). On July 11th Dr. Benjamin Gard. another cholera victim, became our first permanent interment in Section G.
Cemetery landscape architect Howard Daniels rests in this section, which is original to his design for Green Lawn.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical date for this entry is July 9, 1849.
Location. 39° 56.492′ N, 83° 1.997′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in Southwest Columbus. It is at the intersection of Greenlawn Avenue and Greenfield Drive, on the right when traveling west on Greenlawn Avenue. The marker stands on the grounds of the Green Lawn Cemetery. Touch for map.
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Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lucas Sullivant (a few steps from this marker); Ovid Wellford Smith / Medal of Honor Recipients at Green Lawn (about 300 feet away); Departed Denizens (about 500 feet away); George A. Blount (about 600 feet away); Pigeon Oaks (about 800 feet away); Our Unknown Dead (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Pond (approx. 0.2 miles away); Grandfather Tree (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Ovid Wellford Smith (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by Craig Doda, April 11, 2026
2. Consecration Grove Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
