(We could not place the cache close to the graves because of two other nearby caches - so we did the best we could.)
We attended the Frolic with Frosty Returns (and gets married to Crystal) geocaching event at Wolf Creek Environmental Center - February 23, 2013. While there, looking around the center, I saw a picture of a farm with the Alderfer-Oenslager name and realized that was the farm I had been to years before and had been wondering where it was for a long time. I (Kayakist) met Ruth Oenslager in the mid to late ‘70’s. Tom, a friend of mine was living in an octagon home on the property and this was the farm and house I had been to several times for parties. The farm house was filled with many relics, art, and mementos the Oenslagers had collected through the years from travels around the world. Ruth was a very interesting lady to talk with.
In the ensuing years I occasionally remembered things about the farmhouse but had completely forgotten where the place was. We’re glad we attended the Frosty event and that I was able to talk with one of the Naturalist / educators about the history of the farm and donation of the property by Mrs. Oenslager to Medina County Parks. She, the naturalist, told me that the Oenslagers are buried in Glendale Cemetery and that she had visited the graves. She tried explaining to me where the graves are in the cemetery - yeah, right !?! - try and explain the layout of Glendale Cemetery to somebody. Well, we did stop in and found the graves. The family plot is beautiful - overlooking the Chapel and is worth a visit. The grave coordinates are: N 41° 5.052' W 81° 31.545'
Ruth Alderfer was married to George Oenslager, a prominent chemist with the B. F. Goodrich Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. In 1975 she donated the 103 acre property to Medina County Parks stipulating that the use of the property: "...shall stress outdoor education and encourage educational classes in its use of said land as a public park."
Mrs. Oenslager did not wish to see the land developed during her lifetime and lived on the property until her death in 1992.
She was one of the founders of the Akron Junior League and is credited with saving the Lowe’s Theater now the Civic Theater in downtown Akron.
Be sure to visit the Wolf Creek Environmental Center :
6100 Ridge Road, Sharon Center, OH 44274
GPS Coordinates for Wolf Creek Main Entrance
N 41 06.530 W 081 44.131
This is a cemetery (one of the most beautiful in the Akron area) so please be respectful - and cache only during cemetery hours - Glendale usually closes at 5:00 pm.
Micro - so bring a pen.