I walked around this cemetery for the first time this week, and was enchanted. I returned yesterday to grab some photos while the magnolias were still in bloom. Regrettably, I forgot to snap a shot of its most famous grave: that of Joc-O-Sot or Walking Bear, a Sauk chief. The cemetery is located south of Bolivar Road between E. 9th (formerly Erie Street) and E. 14th. It retains an intimate, peaceful feel despite its immediate proximity to Jacobs Field and innumerable freeway entrance ramps. It reminds me in age and atmosphere of the cemetery at Trinity Church on Broadway in lower Manhattan.

 

The cemetery was established in 1826, on land purchased for $1 from Leonard Case Sr., replacing an earlier, temporary burial site near Public Square. I believe this makes it the city's oldest extant cemetery. A proposal was defeated in the 1920s to take the land for the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.

 

(Info from Encyclopedia of Cleveland History and AIA Guide to Cleveland Architecture)

 

Just outside the E. 9th Street entrance, the city bustles. Here is the glorious Rose Building at E. 9th and Prospect.

 

The gateway arch, facing E. 9th directly across from Jacobs Field.

 

The arch again.

 

The arch viewed from inside the cemetery, looking toward Jacobs Field.

 

A stone marking the remains of earlier settlers, relocated in 1939, presumably from the Public Square site?

 

Looking east from the E. 9th entrance; at left is a monument to the Case family.

 

Looking back toward Public Square from roughly the same spot.

 

Some seriously old graves.

 

Old. Very old.

 

The magnolia-lined central lane.

 

A mausoleum. I couldn't find any names on it.

 

A young couple meanders through the graves; looking north toward Erie Court. Isn't that building, fronting on Erie Court, a beauty?

 

Northeast toward Playhouse Square; the Hanna Building and Annex.

 

Another shot toward Public Square.

 

Looking south, toward the Brownell Building, a school built in the 19th century and once part of Tri-C campus.

 

Looking west from the E. 14th Street entrance, toward Jacobs Field.

 

The cemetery is bounded on the north by the brick Erie Court. The fence was built as a WPA project of sandstone from the demolished Superior Avenue viaduct.

 

A closer view of that building I liked on Erie Court.

 

That's all! If you're ever at the Jake with some time to kill, this is a great little walk to take -- an urban oasis.

Very nice B12!  I, too, just took a nice stroll through the cemetery.  It's a beauty!  It'll be interesting to see if someday this is regarded as an asset for nearby residents.  There are some great opportunities for coversions in nearby buildings and this would provide a little oasis of calm and green for people in surrounding blocks.

 

By the way, I took a few shots from the Jake over the cemetery a couple weeks back.  They're posted here:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=8406.0

Pretty!

Very nice B12!  I, too, just took a nice stroll through the cemetery.

 

No kidding?? ;)

Back in the day when I worked at the Caxton Building, my co-workers and I would head over to Erie Street Cemetery and have lunch. It really is a peaceful public space - granted there's the dead people and headstones, but hey - it worked. Nice set of pics!

Great pictures, what a beautiful cemetery.  I love taking a nice walk through them to take pictures.

I think that Gateway CDC wants to see the area around the cemetery developed with midrise housing.  Sort of a small scale, macabre Central Park.

The city should rename Erie Ct. to match the name of the cemetery (the original Erie St. is now E. 9th St.)

 

Looking south, toward the Brownell Building, a school built in the 19th century and once part of Tri-C campus.

So what's it used for now?

 

The dirt around these tombstones looks weird. It looks more like ashes than dirt.

hey great idea and nice job. i havent been in there in awhile and never thought to take a camera inside.

 

the cemetery area is certainly ripe for mixed use housing development around it. it'll happen, but maybe the new innerbelt plans may be making developers hesitant at the moment?

 

not surprising being the connecticut western reserve and all, but those old tombstones look just like the ones in connecticut and new england graveyards.

Fantastic!

 

I always see this cemetery from the car, but have never got out and walked around.  I always thought this was a creepy place, but now I know better!

go case

Cantonese, I think the Brownell Building is used for miscellaneous offices. In any case, it's maintained very nicely.