Oak Dale Cemetery
With its majestic oaks, historic monuments and winding driveways, Oak Dale Cemetery—owned and operated by the City of Urbana—has offered families a beautiful, peaceful setting to honor the memory of loved ones since 1856.
The older 50-acre part of the cemetery includes a mauoleum with indoor chapel, a veterans section, gazebo, and several monuments of historical significance.
To meet the future needs of the Urbana community, the City recently opened a new 10-acre section to the south side of the older section and built a new mausoleum.
Location and Contact Information
Oak Dale Cemetery is located at 319 Patrick Avenue and is open for visitation from dawn to dusk.
Chris Stokes, a native of Urbana, has worked for the City of Urbana since 1997. He was appointed Cemetery Superintendent in January 2007. In addition, he serves as Parks and Recreation Superintendent, a role he has held since 2004. As Oak Dale Cemetery Coordinator, Susan Tehan coordinates the purchases of lots and crypts, as well as burials.
Office hours are by appointment only. Please call 937-652-4327.
New Section and Mausoleum
To meet the future needs of the Urbana community, Oak Dale Cemetery has a new 10-acre tract, which includes a new mausoleum. The mausoleum features an open-air chapel, 360 crypts (with some double crypts for couples, a feature not provided in the cemetery’s existing mausoleum), and 280 niches for urns.
To match the park-like appearance of the rest of the cemetery, the new section will be landscaped with trees, with the assistance of Urbana’s Shade Tree Commission, and winding driveways will be added. A driveway to the mausoleum already has been completed.
The History of Oak Dale Cemetery
In 1856 the City of Urbana purchased a little over 25 acres of land for use as a cemetery. A dedication was held on July 19, 1856, and the cemetery, under the jurisdiction of seven appointed trustees, officially was opened for public use. Since 1903 the cemetery has been under the management of the Urbana City Council.
Initially christened "Greenwood", the name soon was changed to Oak Dale principally because of the luxuriant stand of magnificent oak trees on the grounds.
Prior to the creation of Oak Dale Cemetery, burials were made in what today is referred to as the "Old graveyard" located at the northeast corner of N. Kenton and E. Ward streets. Most bodies were re-interred at Oak Dale and the old cemetery was used as a pasture field and in more recent years as a playground.
To view photos click here.
Regulations and Pricing
Urbana is conveniently nestled in Champaign County in the heart of west central Ohio.
- Incorporated in 1868
- Approximately 6.8 square miles
- Population 11,793 as of 2010 census
- Home to Urbana University, a liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1500 and a 128-acre campus
- Two national residential historic districts and multiple single sites on the registry
- According to the Ohio Historical Society, in 1840 during the VanBuren-Harrison contest, downtown Urbana was the site for a national Whig convention dinner. Hanging nearby was a banner with the words "The People is Oll Korrect." This helped to perpetuate the national trend of using "OK," not only as a show of political support, but as a common phrase used today. (more)