We were in Central Ohio to hike another preserve, but when that outing ended early, I suggested that we visit nearby Bigelow Cemetery State Nature Preserve – a prairie remnant. The description on the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves website intrigued me – a prairie representative of the grasslands experienced by pioneers on a one half acre frontier cemetery. It is Ohio’s smallest nature preserve.
People of European descent first settled in this area around 1813. The region was called the Darby Plains, a 375 square mile grassland mostly located between the Big and Little Darby Creeks. The rich soil beneath the sod was ideal for agriculture which led to aggressive tillage of the prairie, and what was not plowed was managed for cattle pasture. As the local agricultural economy boomed the remaining prairie declined, only found along roadsides, railroad right-of-ways, and fencerows. Then, with the later widespread use of herbicides, most of these remnants disappeared. Luckily, the informally managed Bigelow Cemetery’s prairie plants remained.
As we turned from State Highway 161 onto Rosedale Road, the cemetery, bursting with color, was immediately obvious, standing out from the monotonous corn, hay, and soybean fields that had been lining the roads.
As we parked the van along the road, we could better appreciate the kaleidoscope of colors and excitedly entered the cemetery through a gap in the fence.
This cemetery does not resemble the cemetery image that most of us have in our minds. The last burial here took place in 1892, and since some point in time little was done to manicure the grounds. The protected land acted as a time capsule for the original Darby Plains prairie plants.
Just inside the entry gate is an information board that details some of the history of the area and the cemetery.
And then you notice them – the top of some grave obelisks peeking up above the shoulder high flowers.
From the entry passage the mowed paths and colorful flowers were pulling us in.
There is a primary path that circles the perimeter of the enclosure. Several additional paths transect the cemetery allowing one to traverse the interior.
We were in awe of the density and variety of the plants. In these photos Royal Catchfly (red), Purple Coneflower (pink), Grey-headed Conflower (yellow), and Whorled Rosenweed (yellow) can be identified.
We mentioned previously that this small preserve was surrounded by active agriculture on all sides. In the time that we were there we saw more large farm implements on the road than passenger vehicles.
The farming neighbors can be appreciated in these photos where corn and outbuildings make up the back drop. The trees in the cemetery included Bur Oak and Shingle Oak. Isolated specimens of these species, as well as Blackjack Oak, were common in the prairies of Ohio.
One thing that led to the State of Ohio’s interest in protecting this property in the 1970s, was the presence of Royal Catchfly. At the time it was the only known location of this plant in Ohio. While it is still rare in Ohio, and considered threatened or endangered in much of its native range, it is abundant at Bigelow. It is my understanding that Bigelow Cemetery was the source to reintroduce it to other locations in Ohio. The term “catchfly” references the sticky substance on the stems that is suspected to keep some insects from stealing nectar, and “royal” refers to the vibrant red which is thought to be regal or associated with royalty.
Rather than featuring all the species of prairie plants that we saw at Bigelow, perhaps sharing a few great photos will give a sense of place.
New Plant of the Day – Smooth Carrion Flower. While it was not flowering at the time of our visit, the tennis ball size berry clusters caught our attention. It is a vine and a member of the Greenbriar Family. Over time the berries will separate somewhat and turn a deep blue. Interestingly it thrives in a variety of habitats included rich woodlands, along creeks, and in meadows.
We would be remiss if we did not speak to the solemness of the setting. The earliest known tombstone dates to December 1814 and there are 78 grave markers that are still legible to various degrees. Reading the headstones was a lesson in the challenges that the residents of the region faced, and reality of the commonness of death at a young age. We saw one headstone from the 1800s where an infant died days after birth and then the mother one week later, undoubtedly due to complications of childbirth.
Likewise this doctor died in 1844 at the age of “30 years, 11 months, and 5 days”.
Perhaps the most eyeopening were the monuments to children. Childhood death was so common that families would have a marker that listed the children that they had lost, sometimes 2, sometimes 3, and on one 4. This was of course before vaccines and antibiotics, and an illness could sweep through a community.
This marker says “Children of L. and M.A. Tarpenning” and lists 3 children that they lost.
John Smith, on the other hand, lived to the ripe old age of 61, passing in 1855. Again, the age is listed in a detailed fashion – 61 years, 6 months, 20 days.
We regretted that the photographer was not with us as she loves the history that cemeteries present. We largely found the names for our daughters, Caroline, Ellen, and Marie, walking through cemeteries.
One surprise we had on this day were the four covered bridges that we observed on our way to and from Bigelow.
In summary, this was a unique experience for us. We are used to strolling through acres and acres of prairie, excitedly finding a wide variety of plants over the expanse. Bigelow Cemetery is like “prairie concentrate” – a colorful variety of plants, all in close proximity. It is a prairie experience like no other. This would be an ideal destination for someone who would love to experience a prairie but does not have the mobility or stamina for an extended hike. Pair the prairie experience with a hunt for the covered bridges in the region and I think that you would have a day trip that would interest many.
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Photo credits to Caroline Burns Grizzle.
Overview:
Location – 600 Rosedale Rd, Irwin, Ohio, 105 miles form downtown Cincinnati.
Parking – roadside parking on grass for 6 cars
Trail Conditions – mowed grass path.
Print Map Link – none.
Facilities – none.
Benches – none.
Picnic Tables – none.
Kids – all ages would enjoy the flowers and pollinators.
Dogs – prohibited.
Suggested Paired Hikes – we had spent the morning at Big Darby Trailhead Nature Preserve, a Nature Conservancy property. Clifton and Yellow Springs, Ohio are nearby which host the outstanding Clifton Gorge and Glen Helen Nature Preserve.
Links:
https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/bigelow-cemetery-state-nature-preserve