In spring 2022, the City began to establish a meadow with mown paths at Warrensville West Cemetery, as recommended in the Historic Preservation Master Plan.
Fall 2022
Winter 2022
Warrensville West Cemetery is located within the Shaker Town Center commercial district, is just over one acre, and is owned and maintained by the City of Shaker Heights.
The Cemetery is the second oldest burial ground in Cuyahoga County with graves dating back to the early 1800s.
It is the final resting place of Pioneer Families, Manx Settlers, Veterans of five Wars, founders of Warrensville Township, and North Union Shakers.
The City, Shaker Heights Historical Society and the Shaker Heights Public Library are working with experts to create a Historic Preservation Master Plan for Warrensville West Cemetery.
Gravestone Restoration Workshop: Gravestone consultant Ta Mara Conde resets the gravestone of Mary Bogden.
Gravestone Restoration Workshop: Sonia and Colin reset the grave of the John E. Adams family’s mother.
Gravestone Restoration Workshop: Gravestone specialist Ta Mara Conde demonstrates appropriate gravestone cleaning.
Gravestone Restoration Workshop: Jessie and Jon clean and reset the gravestone of the William D. Meyne family’s “mother.
The Shaker Historical Society, Shaker Heights Public Library, and the City commemorated Veterans Day with a tour that honored the cemetery’s veterans, including those from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, and World War II. Local History Librarian, Meghan Hays (Right), shares the history of Moor/Moore Bell, a veteran of the War of 1812.
In spring 2022, the City began plan implementation by minimizing mowing to return the cemetery to its 19th century meadow-like appearance.
In spring 2022, the City began plan implementation by minimizing mowing to return the cemetery to its 19th century meadow-like appearance.
The restoration work at Warrensville West Cemetery was recently featured in Shaker Life magazine. Read the article.
History
Warrensville West Cemetery is located within the Shaker Town Center commercial district, is just over one acre, and is owned and maintained by the City of Shaker Heights. The first burial took place in 1811, making it the second-oldest burial ground in Cuyahoga County.
The cemetery was designated as a local Landmark in 1976 and is a contributing site to the Shaker Village National Register Historic District. It is the final resting place of Pioneer Families, Manx Settlers, Veterans of five Wars, founders of Warrensville Township, and North Union Shakers. The cemetery’s last burial took place in 1955 and has fallen into disrepair throughout the years. Click here for more history and cemetery tour guides.
Warrensville West Cemetery Historic Preservation Master Plan
In 2021-2022, the City of Shaker Heights, in partnership with the Shaker Historical Society and Shaker Heights Public Library, completed a Historic Preservation Master Plan for Warrensville West Cemetery. The Plan identifies existing resources and creates a framework to preserve, protect, and maintain the burial ground's historical, archaeological, architectural, and cultural value, will increase the site’s attractiveness, and will assure that maintenance and security are properly guided. The Historic Preservation Master Plan for the cemetery provides a roadmap to preserve one of Cuyahoga County's oldest burial sites and protect the remains of the people interred there.
On April 29, 2022, the City began to establish a meadow with mown paths, as recommended in the Plan. Watch the video to experience the transformation (and also see this Google Map capture of the early progress in establishing the meadow).
During the summer of 2024, a consultant is resetting and repairing 57 damaged gravestones identified in the Plan as high priorities.
Watch the transformation of the cemetery's meadow.
The City has received a $18,803 Certified Local Government Grant which will be matched with City funds to reset and repair 57 damaged gravestones, a priority project recommended in the Warrensville West Cemetery Historic Preservation Master Plan. Restoration will be undertaken in 2024.
In 2023, the City of Shaker Heights, Shaker Heights Public Library, and Shaker Historical Society were recognized with the 2023 State Historic Preservation Office Award for Public Education & Awareness for the public awareness and education that came with the Warrensville West Cemetery Historic Preservation Plan and the cemetery tours that have been conducted over the past 5 years.
