Green Lawn Abbey, built in 1927, is an historic mausoleum

Mausoleum

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...

 located at 700 Greenlawn Avenue in Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, USA. On June 27, 2007, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

.

History

Green Lawn Abbey is a mausoleum built in 1927 by the Columbus Mausoleum Company. At the time it was the largest in the area, with room for 600 interments. The Columbus Mausoleum Company built numerous other mausoleums in the surrounding area but Green Lawn Abbey was its largest.

Built with 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) thick granite walls, marble interior and an imported tile roof, the Abbey was built to inspire awe. Marble faux-fireplaces, stained glass windows and various religious statues adorn this beautiful final resting place of many notable figures in Ohio and local history.

In recent years, the Abbey has fallen victim to water leaks, which have damaged much of the plaster ceilings and marble floors. The Abbey has also become the target for many urban exploration groups and vandals. Many of the irreplaceable stained glass windows have been destroyed as people have attempted to find entry into or exit from the Abbey. Marble statues lie broken, used as "tools" for breaking open windows and doors.

Notable residents include George Karb (former Franklin County police commissioner and five-time mayor of Columbus), magician Howard Thurston

Howard Thurston

Howard Thurston was a stage magician from Columbus, Ohio.-Life:Thurston had the largest traveling magic show for the time, requiring more than eight entire train cars to transport his props across the country...

, Charles Foster Johnson (first real estate tycoon in the area), Isaac Collins

Isaac J. Collins

Isaac Jacob "Ike" Collins was an American businessman who founded the Anchor Hocking Corp.Born in Salisbury, Maryland, as a young man Isaac Collins moved to Lancaster, Ohio to work as a decorator at a pressed glass manufacturing company. There, he founded the Hocking Glass Company in 1905 which...

 (founder of Anchor Hocking

Anchor Hocking

Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation is a manufacturer of glassware. The Hocking Glass Company was founded in 1905 by Isaac Jacob Collins. That company merged with the AnchorCap and Closure Corporations in 1937. Anchor Hocking is primarily located in Lancaster, Ohio...

), Edward and Rollin Swisher (from the company that manufactures Swisher Sweets

Swisher Sweets

Swisher Sweets are manufactured by Swisher International, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida. The company began in 1861 when David Swisher received a small cigar business in settlement of a debt. Back then, cigars were only a sideline for Swisher and his four sons, just one of many notions that they...

 cigars), and H. R. Penney (brother of J.C. Penney of department store fame). A special family crypt room holds members of the Lewis Sells family (owners of Sells Brothers Circus

Sells Brothers Circus

-History:It ran from 1862 to 1863 and again from 1871 to 1895. It merged with the circus operated by Adam Forepaugh to form the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers' Circus in 1900. It later merged with the Floto Dog & Pony Show into Sells Floto Circus.-External links:...

).

In 2001 trustees for Green Lawn Abbey considered selling its already reduced grounds to a nearby construction implement dealer that would have surrounded the building with a dealer lot for back hoes and heavy equipment. The plan failed, but concerns continue, especially by fans of Thurston.

Restoration Efforts

In August 2008 the Green Lawn Abbey Preservation Association (GLAPA) was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) recognized non-profit organization. This group has been leading efforts to restore the Abbey and preserve its historical significance to the city of Columbus. GLAPA is working to educate the community on the history of the Abbey through historic re-enactments held at the facility each fall and an open house event on Memorial Day. GLAPA is also working closely with the Columbus Landmarks Foundation to seek out restoration opportunities and grants for repair to the Abbey.

In October of 2009, the Abbey suffered a setback when thieves broke in and stole a number of bronze gates. The remaining gates were removed and placed in secure storage until further restoration takes place.

As of December 2010, two major roof repair projects have been completed.