VINTON COUNTY, Ohio — Two local nonprofit organizations, the Moonville Rail Trail Association (MRTA) and Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau (VCCVB), have partnered with the Brown Township Trustees to erect a memorial obelisk at Moonville Cemetery.
Founded in the 1830s, Moonville Cemetery was the final resting place for the residents of Moonville in Vinton County. As late as the 1970s dozens of headstones remained but today almost nothing is left to memorialize the residents of this not-yet-forgotten ghost town. The last major vandalism incident on New Year’s Eve 2020 pulverized the few remaining headstones into gravel, which the township buried. Afterward, the VCCVB and MRTA began discussing a joint project to restore the cemetery, an idea supported by the Brown Township Trustees. The COVID-19 pandemic and the organizations’ other projects put the memorial on hold, but VCCVB board member Phil Collins revived the project in late 2022.
A historically accurate restoration of the cemetery headstones was initially planned but was quickly determined to be wildly beyond the scope of the groups’ combined budget. The alternate idea of a memorial obelisk also initially seemed too expensive. Marble is the favored stone of choice today and for any impressive monument of scale the cost was going to be in the $70,000 range. As it turns out, limestone is considerably less expensive and ages quickly to match existing headstones. Stone Center of Columbus designed a limestone monument that can be installed for the affordable cost of $6,500. It will stand an impressive nine feet tall atop a foundation and is 36″ across at the base. The front of the obelisk will be inscribed with “MOONVILLE CEMETERY,” while the sides bear prose praising our nation’s pioneering spirit. If a definitive list of those interred there can be established, an additional plaque will be inscribed with their names.
The obelisk will be treated with graffiti-proofing. A reinforced foundation will prevent the toppling of its base. The top cap (fitted on a seam) bears the most likelihood of being damaged and is replaceable. The MRTA and VCCVB have agreed to jointly bear the cost of replacement and installation.
The Moonville Rail Trail Association is now collecting donations to install the memorial obelisk, with installation tentatively scheduled for September. To make a donation, visit https://gofund.me/dd7a351a
Moonville Cemetery is maintained by the Brown Township Trustees and is surrounded by Zaleski State Forest. The nearby 10-mile Moonville Rail Trail property belongs to the Vinton and Athens County Commissioners, and is freely accessible to hikers, bicycles, and horses. For more information, call the Vinton County Visitor Center at 740-596-7077.