Skip to Main Content

John Grimm's grave.

Roadside Grave Of A Man Killed By A Tree

Field review by the editors.

Marion, Ohio

This ancient American roadside attraction has puzzled passersby for nearly 200 years. John Grimm, age 52, was killed by a falling tree here on October 6, 1833. His white marble gravestone slab, set flush with the ground, lies at the edge of a peaceful back road.

Grimm's tombstone is so old that its inscriptions were re-chiseled at some long-ago date, and now even those re-chiselings are almost worn away by time. The extra effort suggests that someone felt that it was important to remember Grimm's grim fate, which is also apparent in the upright limestone slabs, loosely bolted together with rusted bars, that form a protective box around the grave.

John Grimm's deteriorating gravestone.

To ensure that no tree will ever fall on John Grimm again?

There's an assortment of other oddities to inspect in nearby Marion, including Napoleon's Horse, the Popcorn Museum, and a Mysterious Moving Tombstone. But John Grimm's grave is one-of-a-kind, and its stature in our "Trees That Kill" category rose in direct proportion to how many little county roads we had to crisscross trying to find it.

Roadside Grave Of A Man Killed By A Tree

Address:
4150 Cardington Rd, Marion, OH
Directions:
Southeast of town. Hwy 98 south, cross Hwy 529, then first left (east) onto C-148/Firstenberger Rd. Third right onto C-153/East River Rd. First left onto C-154/Cardington Rd. Limestone box is on the right road shoulder about 1/4 mile.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Smiling Face BarnSmiling Face Barn, Delaware, OH - 8 mi.
Kaufman's PyramidKaufman's Pyramid, Marion, OH - 7 mi.
Grave of Gypsy QueenGrave of Gypsy Queen, Marion, OH - 7 mi.
In the region:
Doorway Arch Faces, Columbus, OH - 38 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in Ohio

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Ohio.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Ohio Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings