How to Find Historic McFarland Cemetery in Bainbridge Township

Bainbridge, OH

It can be a bit tricky to get to McFarland Cemetery in Bainbridge Township. Not only do you need to know where the cemetery is (the only marker is right outside the burial ground itself, not on the street near the path leading to it), but you also to park on and then cross a busy road.

The easiest way to find the cemetery is by either looking at Old Bainbridge Cemetery (another name for it) on your GPS or inputting the coordinates 41.40100, -81.33690 and searching for them. Then, once you know the general idea of where you’re going, travel south down that part of Chillicothe Road/Route 306 and pull over on the gravel patch at the side of the road.

Walk down until you see a small opening across the street that’s protected by two posts and a small chain. Cross the busy road, step over the chain, and follow the path to the cemetery. You’ll be glad that you did once you get there.

McFarland Cemetery

The cemetery is hidden amongst the trees and so far back from the road that you can’t hear the traffic once you get there. A sign and a stone wall that surrounds the cemetery greet you when you arrive. The small space holds 53 known graves, including that of Daniel McFarland who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Despite the “1826” on the sign, cemetery records show that the first burial took place in 1824. Avis McFarland, Daniel’s wife, who traveled with him from Rhode Island to settle in Ohio, was 64 years old when she passed away.

Other notable graves are those of the Carpenters, Moses, Edwin, and Miles, all of whom fought in the Civil War:

While you won’t find a ton of symbolism on the gravestones, the names and dates on them provide an interesting look at Bainbridge Township’s past. It’s worth exploring for that reason alone.