Private Tours

Have you ever noticed the wide variety of statues marking the graves in Spring Grove?  This tour focuses on one particular type: the angels.  No matter what form the angels are in be it statue, stained glass, a relief, we will be taking a closer look at each one.  Enjoy this tour which will have you “up close and personal” with each angel as well as filling your senses with the natural beauty which is Spring Grove.

Ring the bell...school's in session! This tour will introduce you to the special people who were influential in local and national education, both private and public, from elementary to the college level. You will hear the stories of teachers, students, artists, writers, medical experts and publishers, along with the founders of local educational institutions. This tour offers a very unique ride through Spring Grove, visiting sections that many people have not seen.

Step right up ladies, gentlemen, and children of all ages to learn about the connections that Spring Grove has to the turn of the century circuses. Enjoy a ride through Spring Grove as you hear about Lion Tamers, Trapeze Artists, Clowns, Elephants and much, much more. So, sit back, relax, and smell the sawdust as we discuss early circuses and the people who made them.

The Spring Grove’s History & Heritage tour will teach you about Spring Grove's beginnings, notable residents, beautiful monuments and mausoleums.  Members of the Cincinnati Horticultural Society formed a cemetery association in 1844.  They endeavored to find a location suitable for creating a picturesque park like institution away from the urban environment.

Members of Spring Grove's Horticulture Team will take you on an adventure through the Spring Grove Arboretum and discuss the beautiful plant collection on display throughout the cemetery. The walking tour will give you more opportunities to ask questions, and the tram tour is a wonderful way to see most of the 450 developed acres.

Iconography is the visual symbols and images used in a work of art or the interpretation of these symbols. Sometimes there is little doubt as to what a symbol is communicating but at times, we find ourselves puzzling over images that are obscure or ambiguous.  Disagreement over the interpretation of a symbol is common since symbolism changes over time and it can have entirely different meanings for different people. Spring Grove Cemetery is filled with different symbols depicted in carvings and sculpture. See the more interesting and amazing types of iconographies and learn what they mean on this tour of symbolism.

When you enter the gates of Spring Grove Cemetery and begin to tour the grounds, you see landscaping and stone everywhere, whether it is the white of the marble or the various shades of granite. But if you look closely and are prepared to search you will spy bronze. On this tour we will be searching for bronze. It is not always easy to find but well worth the hunt!

The International Order of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F) was the second largest fraternal organization in 19th Century America, surpassed only by the Masons. This tour will introduce the history of the Odd Fellows and insights into their philosophies and practices. One major tenet was to provide a dignified burial for their members from the affluent to the working man. With that spirit, their connections to Spring Grove Cemetery began not long after its founding in 1845. Meet some of the many Odd Fellows interred in Spring Grove, gain some insights into life and death in the 19th century and see how Spring Grove intertwined with them all. May you leave with the guiding words embedded in their most iconic symbol, the three-link chain: Friendship, Love and Truth.

Join us and discover the incredible number presidential connections that are within Spring Grove Cemetery.  Whether an appointment or a relative, this tram tour will provide a snapshot into Cincinnati and Presidential history as well as refresh your soul as you take in the beauty and splendor of Spring Grove.

Although no former U.S. Presidents are buried at Spring Grove, the cemetery does have a connection with most of our Presidents through its extensive collection of trees. On this tour the expert Docent will guide you to an encounter with each of these “Presidential Trees.” You will hear an explanation of the characteristics of each tree as well as how the tree is connected to a President.

Through this tour you can experience three of the important facets that make Spring Grove such a special place. During your tour, the expert Docent will familiarize you with the fascinating history behind the cemetery and the many prominent people buried here. You will view many of the iconic mausoleums and statutes on the property and learn the stories of notable families as well as the architecture of the monument. Your docent will also point out some of the stunning horticultural features that contribute so much to the beauty of Spring Grove.

The interpretation of the term artist for this tour is used to include the makers of monuments as well as painters, sculptors, and even those who practiced the “art” of watchmaking, furniture making, and sculpting our landscape.  This lengthy tour (90mins plus) will cover parts of the cemetery that most never see. While riding on the tram you will be treated to wonderful views of Spring Grove and see monuments that are rarely seen on other tours.