Sunday, April 25, 2021, 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Featuring a specially curated natural art exhibit from local artists, seed-scattering ceremony, guided tours of the grounds, and much more!
Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary invites you to its first anniversary celebration on Sunday afternoon, April 25, 2021. Cincinnati’s only dedicated green burial ground, located at 796 Locust Corner Road in Pierce Township, opened on Earth Day last year, but due to the pandemic was unable to have an official grand opening – until now. This socially distanced, outdoor Open House will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the scattering of flower seeds, handmade jams and jellies from plants harvested at Heritage Acres, and more. Individual and small-group, socially distanced guided tours of the property, including available burial locations, will take place throughout the day on the hour. Heritage Acres staff and volunteers will be available to provide information about green burial.
Also featured will be a unique exhibition of “natural art” by local artists using found, native materials. Displays will be located all around the grounds. Linda Littman, Heritage Acres Board member and artist, curates the collection. “The first time I visited Heritage Acres, I saw the land as a blank canvas,” says Littman. The art pieces will remain on site until the elements reclaim them naturally. In addition to the finished professional works, guests at the Open House will be invited to create their own work of art using natural materials collected from the grounds.
Green (or natural) burial emphasizes simplicity and environmental sustainability. The body is placed into the ground shrouded or in a biodegradable casket. Cremated ashes are also acceptable, provided the urn is biodegradable. There is no concrete burial vault or toxic chemicals. The grave site is allowed to simply return to nature.
As Heritage Acres founder, Bill Gupton says that he measures the success of the sanctuary with each individual burial. “Providing the deceased and their grieving families with a meaningful celebration of life that is in harmony with their principles is our goal. All natural burials are very personal and individualistic, as unique as the person we’re burying.”
Heritage Acres, which was recently featured in the December “Best of Cincinnati” issue of Cincinnati Magazine, offers both immediate need burial services as well as pre-arrangements. Burial rights include body burial (in one of the sanctuary’s meadows) or the burial of cremated ashes (in one of the dedicated meadow or wooded sections). Additional private tours and information sessions can be scheduled anytime by scheduling an appointment by emailing Heritage Acres or calling 513-231-6438. Send email to:
Costs for burial in the sanctuary – which is a non-profit – are kept intentionally low, ranging from $950 to $3,000, and include all administrative and record-keeping services. A full price list (including detailed cost breakdowns) and complete guidelines for green burial can be found at the Heritage Acres website at www.heritageacresmemorial.org.
History of Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary
Several years ago, after finding no alternatives to conventional burial in the Cincinnati region, Bill Gupton took on the task of creating a natural burial ground for the area. “I quickly realized I was going to be waiting a long time for someone else to make this happen, so I decided to do it myself,” he says.
A non-profit LLC was created, a small but dedicated Board of Trustees came together, and soon there were more than two dozen early backers who created a Founders Circle. Following a wide-ranging search for appropriate land and a successful capital campaign, 40 acres of former family farmland were identified as the future site of Heritage Acres. Since closing on the property in October 2019, Heritage Acres volunteers have been engaged in a steady process of transforming the land into a sanctuary dedicated to green burial. The site also serves as a nature preserve and host to public events and educational experiences.
Recent Improvements
In the past year, more than 50 dedicated volunteers have worked diligently to remove aggressively invasive plants and overgrowth throughout the meadows. Wooded areas are being naturally cleared for the burial and memorialization of cremated ashes. The addition of hiking trails through the 15-plus acres of woodlands has provided nature lovers and grieving families the opportunity to fully experience the sanctuary’s trees, creek, and multiple waterfalls.
Event Details
Date: Sunday, April 25, 2021
Time: 1-8 p.m.
Location: 796 Locust Corner Road, Cincinnati, OH 45245. (Look for the yellow sign marked Heritage Acres directly across the street from 809 Locust Corner Rd)
Admission: FREE, but attendees are encouraged to subscribe to our newsletter or join our mailing list to receive event updates. To join, visit https://www.heritageacresmemorial.org/contact-us/
Parking: Parking is available just inside the entrance, but please consider carpooling. Parking attendants will be available to direct traffic.
COVID 19 precautions: All guests are required to wear masks and observe CDC social distance guidelines.
For more information, please visit www.heritageacresmemorial.org