Volunteers Clear Overgrown Cincinnati Cemetery
American Legion Post 744 members and McNicholas High School students are searching for Revolutionary War veterans' graves at Fulton-Presbyterian Cemetery.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Civic Engagement
American Legion Post 744 members and McNicholas High School students are cleaning the overgrown Fulton-Presbyterian Cemetery in East End to locate gravesites of at least seven American Revolutionary War veterans. Organizers have recovered and mounted the original headstone for William Allen.
Why it matters
The cleanup restores a neglected historic burial ground that had been used as a dumping lot, and the recovered headstone raises hopes that more original markers can be found. Seven ceremonial markers dating to the 1960s are not placed at each veteran's actual gravesite, so the effort aims to reconnect the veterans with their graves.
At least seven Revolutionary War veterans are believed to be buried at the cemetery, and groups of 14 to 15 McNicholas students have worked four or five Saturdays each school year since fall 2022. The exact gravesite locations remain unconfirmed, and the seven 1960s markers are not placed at each veteran's grave.
The players
American Legion Post 744
A local chapter of the American Legion veterans' organization that is leading the cemetery cleanup and gravesite search.
McNicholas High School
A Catholic high school in Cincinnati whose students have volunteered at the cemetery on multiple Saturdays each school year.
The details
A member of American Legion Post 744 spotted a historical marker while biking the Ohio River Trail, and organizers then reached out to McNicholas High School for volunteers. The cemetery, off Kellogg Avenue near the Ohio River Trail in East End, had become overgrown and was used as a dumping lot before the cleanup began.
Timeline
Fall 2022: Cleanup project began at the cemetery.
Saturday, November 14: Next scheduled cleanup day.
Historical Context
Seven ceremonial markers placed at the cemetery in the 1960s honored Revolutionary War veterans but were not set at their gravesites. The current cleanup extends that earlier commemoration by searching for the veterans' actual burial locations.
Residents of East End and visitors using the Ohio River Trail can see a cleared, restored cemetery as volunteers continue their work. The effort may also prompt community members to volunteer for future cleanup days.
The takeaway
Community volunteers can preserve local history by joining cleanup efforts at neglected historic sites. Groups interested in similar projects can contact local veterans' organizations or schools to coordinate.
What happens next
Volunteers will return to the cemetery for another cleanup on Saturday, November 14, as the search for additional original headstones continues.
Further reading
Explore more stories on Civic Engagement efforts across Cincinnati.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WKRC.
