The Deteriorating Chapel in the Cemetery: Dexter Chapel Mausoleum- Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio

Photo Credit: Marisa DeRoma( a.k.a The Wandering Oddball)

In 2021, I took a fall trip to the Cincinnati area. I decided to visit a pleasant, well-known cemetery called Spring Grove Cemetery. While I was there taking photos, I noticed a lot of walkers and students on a school field trip. Spring Grove Cemetery is home to a large Gothic mausoleum that resembles a chapel set on the cliffside of a cemetery. So the question is, who owns it?

History

Edmund Dexter was a well-known whiskey baron in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was reported that the mausoleum cost 100K to build. It took four years for it to be built. Above the mausoleum is a chapel, with the lower level being the crypt. When it was built, it was the only structure in the Cincinnati area with flying buttresses.  The intent was to have the mausoleum resemble the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. However, the result was that it resembled Chichester Cathedral in England. More features were planned for the chapel. At one point, there was consideration for installing an elevator to lower caskets and stained glass windows, but it did not happen due to financial issues.

Internments 

Edmund died at the age of 61 and became the first family member to be interred in the mausoleum in 1870, though he passed in 1862. I could not find information on where he was buried before or if he was held anywhere. Years later, his wife, his five children, and other members of the Dexter Family followed after him. 

Question: Would you change your name for $20,000?

One of Edmund’s sons, Charles, would go on to have three daughters: Alice, Annie, and Mary. Among the 3, only Alice would marry and have children. Mary would end up passing away at a young age. Annie would become the eccentric aunt. One of her antics would spark outrage with her sister. When she passed in 1916, it was revealed in her will that if Alice’s son Carroll Dexter Walker changed his name to Charles Dexter, he would inherit $20,000 (today $501,242.19); otherwise, the money would go to the University of Cincinnati. Annie wanted to continue the Dexter line and turned to her nephew, who did not have children of her own. Alice saw this as Annie trying to steal her, so, under pettiness, she tried to go against other clauses in her will. However, when Carrol turned 21 in 1927, he did not mind changing his name for that sweet green. Afterwards, he changed his name to Charles Dexter.

There were other issues with Annie’s will. $5000 was supposed to go toward the upkeep of the family mausoleum, but the cemetery rejected it, leading to further deterioration.

Restoration 

The mausoleum’s upkeep has been a problem since it was built. One problem that did not help was the ivy covering the outside of the sandstone. This furthered the deterioration of the wall. Also, many turrets, crocketts, and pinnacles have broken off from the structure. It also didn't help that it was built on a hill, as it caused the sandstone walls to warp over time from the uneven ground, affecting the structure's integrity. This is also with older tombstones made from sandstone and the engravings would be harder to read. Moral of the story: Sandstones don’t last forever. The melting sandstones have reportedly given the crypts a creepier appearance. It is not open to the public and remains private. 

One thing is for certain: it is a very creepy centerpiece for Spring Grove Cemetery, no thanks to its upkeep.