History of the Abandoned Burying Ground at the Memphis & Pearl Site

Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood is a community that values its history, and collaboratively contributes to shaping its future. For nearly two centuries, generations of residents have taken pride in shaping the heart of Old Brooklyn, especially at the corner of Memphis Avenue and Pearl Road.   

After nearly two years of the community voicing their desire to see transformative economic progress along the Pearl Road commercial corridor, the residents of Old Brooklyn are on the cusp of realizing the largest investment on the corner of Memphis and Pearl in over 50 years.   

Led by Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) and Pearl Road United Methodist Church (PRUMC), the property owners have authored a development plan that will restore the St. Luke’s Church to its original footprint, repurpose the Pearl Road Methodist Church’s building into expanded community amenities, and build much needed 1- and 2-bedroom rental units unlike anything else in the neighborhood. 

As a result of widespread Old Brooklyn community support, the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County committed financial incentives to ensure that OBCDC and PRUMC realize the preservation of the two iconic churches and spark new construction to redefine the corner of Memphis and Pearl for the next 50 years. 

This project’s success will serve as crucial case study to spark catalytic change throughout Cleveland’s middle-neighborhoods.   

Honoring Old Brooklyn’s History of Evolution and Change 

Through multiple rounds of community engagement, Old Brooklyn residents have expressed a desire for the new development to honor the neighborhood’s history. Project stakeholders share this commitment, aiming to ensure that the project not only respects Old Brooklyn’s rich past, but contributes to the ongoing evolution of the site and surrounding community – just as it has for generations.  

With this interest in mind, the project team has undertaken extensive historical and technical research focused on the site’s past – particularly the former burial ground once located at the northwest corner of Pearl Road and Memphis Avenue. This research, conducted in partnership with civil engineering experts and historic property consultants - most recently HP Group - has produced ample documentation on the continued evolution of the site in question. Notably, it includes evidence supporting the abandoned cemetery’s transfer to the nearby Brookmere Cemetery in 1836, as well as the last known deed mentioning its former use, dated 1851.  

Historic Chronology of the Northwest Corner of Memphis & Pearl (Former Burying Ground)

The 0.65-acre site previously used as a burial ground was located at the northwest corner of the current Memphis & Pearl intersection in Old Brooklyn, Cleveland, OH. For modern context, this would have encompassed the entire length of the project site along Pearl Road, to the end of the present-day PRUMC property. After the graves were transferred in 1836, research shows that buildings on this parcel were constructed, demolished, and built new through the 19th century and into the mid-20th century, eventually occupying the entire space the burial ground previously encompassed.  

1836 – Brookmere Cemetery was established nearby in 1836, where trustees preemptively established plots for the remains that would be transferred from the Memphis & Pearl property.  

1840 – While it is unclear when the site in question was first established as a burial ground, a deed transfer shows that a man named Richard Vaughn owned the property in the 1830s and sold it in the year 1840.  

1849 – The property was sold to a new owner in 1849, with deeds referring to it as “the old burying ground,” indicating that no new burials had been occurring at that point in time. 

1851 – The property was sold again in 1851 to the United German Protestant Evangelical Society, with the deed noting existing graves. This is the last deed to mention the burial ground.  

1858 – An old map of Cuyahoga County shows the footprint of a small church built by the new German congregation after the property transfer. 

1874 – A larger “German Church” is shown to have replaced the former one. It is now located farther south and set farther back on the street. For modern context, this is the primary area in question: the “grassy area” between the old St. Luke’s Church and Greenline Building.

1898 – The 1898 Atlas of the Suburbs of Cleveland shows that additional small buildings were constructed on the property on the west and southwest sides of the newly named “Frame Church.” 

1903 – A new brick church was built on the site, potentially alongside the “Frame Church,” which was later demolished. This demolition created the “grassy area” we see today between the old St. Luke’s Church and Greenline Building.  

1951 – By 1951, the parcel included the St. Luke’s educational wing, commercial buildings, and a small house, which would have resulted in extensive excavation and soil disturbance throughout the site. 

Sicha, R., & Moll, M. (2025, January 14). Burying Ground: Northwest corner Pearl Road and Memphis Avenue (1874 Atlas of Cuyahoga County). HP Group. 

Conclusions Obtained Through Penetrating Radar Scans

Ground disturbances from construction, excavation, and demolition over the past 175 years have significantly altered the site in question from its original use as a burial ground in the 1830s. Therefore, in alignment with industry standards and historic context, Behr Geo Environmental LLC conducted a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey throughout the site of the former burial ground in November 2023 to ensure no active graves remained. 

This survey focused on the soil area between the old St. Luke’s Church and the Greenline Building, or the location of the former “German Church.” It is expected that 1-3 feet of fill would have been placed over the historical cemetery’s location prior to new construction, and the GPR survey penetrated 4-5 feet below the ground’s surface. 

Behr Geo Environmental LLC concluded that while this survey reported 3 “anomalies” within the parameters of the old burial ground, the spacing of the anomalies is inconsistent with that of a standard cemetery of the time, and they are extremely unlikely to represent grave locations. Due to this site’s history, with several buildings being constructed and demolished over the past 175 years, these “anomalies” could be caused by any number of variables, including fill material.  

Behr Geo Environmental LLC. (2023, November 14). Ground Penetrating Radar Survey: Old Brooklyn CDC Property, 3426 to 3434 Memphis Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.   

Project Team’s Approach to Demolition Around the Former Burial Site

Although the presence of any graves on the Memphis & Pearl project site is highly unlikely, the project team plans to take a slow and cautious approach to demolition around the parameters of the old burial ground. The 3 reported “anomalies” will be noted in the initial drawing set, and these areas will be treated with great care when excavation begins. The project’s budget allows for additional GPR scans if needed. 

Due to this particular site being designated as a historic landmark, the City of Cleveland’s Superintendent of Cemeteries and Landmarks Commission will have final approval of the project team’s excavation and demolition plan prior to work beginning. 

The Future of the Memphis & Pearl Site

If any one thing is clear from the research conducted on the northwest corner of the Memphis & Pearl site, it is that this area is one of evolution and change. The landscape of Old Brooklyn, Cleveland’s commercial corridor has adapted for centuries to meet the current needs of its residents while paying homage to its past. Through multiple community engagement efforts conducted throughout the project process, the community has acknowledged a need and desire for this site’s transformation. The Memphis & Pearl project team is committed to honoring the legacy of this site throughout the redevelopment process, while delivering meaningful resources and experiences that will help shape Old Brooklyn’s future for generations to come. 

For more information, news, and updates on the Memphis & Pearl Redevelopment, please visit www.oldbrooklyn.com/memphispearl.