Zion Baptist Cemetery, located near the Fifty Springs Picnic Area in Caesar Creek State Park, is the final resting place of several prominent African American families who lived and thrived in Harveysburg and the surrounding communities of Warren County.
In 1829, Harveysburg became a hotbed for abolitionism in Ohio and an important stop on the Underground Railroad as freedom seekers made their way north from the Ohio River. In 1831, abolitionist Dr. Jesse Harvey, founder of Harveysburg, opened the Harveysburg Free Black School, the first free school for African American children in Ohio. Massie Township, which contains Harveysburg boasted a comparatively large African American population relative to other rural communities in Ohio. By 1860, 122 African Americans lived in Massie Township, constituting 10 percent of the population.
Prominent African American residents buried in the Zion Baptist Cemetery include members of the Stewart and Curtis families. James H. Curtis, Charles Curtis, and Warner W. Curtis, owned land and property throughout Warren and Clinton Counties. Around 1900, Warner operated a 38-acre farm just south of Harveysburg and began to teach at the Free Black School. Charles and his wife, Eunice Sellers Curtis, also owned several plots of land in Harveysburg proper. John W. Stewart, taught at the Free Black School and eventually became the mayor of Harveysburg in 1907.
Other members of the community interred at Zion Baptist Cemetery include Daniel Washington and Benjamin Scott, both of whom fought for the Union during the Civil War.
Zion Baptist Cemetery stands to this day as hallowed ground where Ohioans can commemorate the accomplishments of African American citizens and their contributions to Ohio’s history.
Now as for the cache.Itis a small black container with a log and a pencil for signing. Please place back accordingly and NO night caching.
If the historical sign at the posted coordinates is green then the final coordinates are N 39 30.147 W 084 01.259.
If the historical sign at the posted coordinates is brown then the final coordinates are N 39 30.153 W 084 01.246.