There’s something about autumn in Defiance that’s refreshingly nostalgic. The leaves glow gold and crimson, the air crispens with that cozy sweater-weather chill, and the resounding doorbells of trick-or-treaters take us back to our youthful days. But it’s also a time to explore our local history in a captivating and mysterious way.
Each October, residents stroll among Defiance’s earliest gravestones at events like the Defiance Public Library’s Riverside Cemetery Walk, connecting stories of those who came before us with the community we know today. But beyond a single evening of storytelling, Defiance’s burial sites hold a much larger, ongoing narrative about the city’s past.
Uncovering Defiance History
As Defiance has continued to grow and develop, many gravesites have been unexpectedly uncovered, offering a glimpse of early settlers’ way of life. These discoveries have given our community the opportunity to learn more about the origins of our city.
Exploring this history has become an October community tradition full of seasonal mystery and intrigue, but it stops short of being scary or eerie. It is the perfect blend of “spooky fun” and storytelling meant to arouse your curiosity about Defiance’s past. And, boy, does it!
The “Mystery” Begins at Riverside Chapel
Riverside Cemetery, established in the 19th century, has long been a focal point for learning about Defiance’s early years. Walking its paths, you’ll find names tied to local industry, education, and civic life — founders, merchants, teachers, and veterans who helped shape the growing town. This is why the Riverside Cemetery Walk begins at the beautiful Riverside Chapel, a beloved local landmark within the cemetery that opens its doors for the occasion. There, members of the local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will greet tour-goers and share stories about the Chapel’s history, as well as its significance in the community over the years. Yet Riverside is only one chapter in Defiance’s story. Recent discoveries have shown that its history runs much deeper.
A Living History Lesson
In 1910, during construction of a new home, remnants of earlier burial grounds that predate Riverside itself we uncovered. These long-forgotten sites, unearthed near downtown and along former fort and canal routes, offer new insights into how Defiance developed from a frontier outpost into a thriving community. Some graves are believed to date back to the early 1800s, when Fort Defiance and nearby Fort Winchester played vital roles in the region’s defense and settlement. Others may be connected to workers who helped build the Miami and Erie Canal, a lifeline for trade and travel in northwest Ohio.
Each burial uncovered helps historians trace patterns of migration, settlement, and social change. The placement and style of graves, the materials used, and the recorded (and unrecorded) names all speak volumes about life in early Defiance. For example, headstones carved from local limestone suggest limited access to materials and tools, while grave clusters near former work sites may point to the lives of canal laborers or soldiers who never returned home. These findings transform what might appear to be quiet resting places into valuable records of community growth, hardship, and resilience.
A Not-so-Spooky October Tradition
Learning about Defiance’s history and events like the Riverside Cemetery Walk are reminders that history lives all around us, in the stories and past lives of those residents who made Defiance what it is today.
So, when October rolls around again, grab a sweater, bring a friend, and join your neighbors for this special annual tradition. Take the walking tour through historic Riverside Cemetery and take a moment to imagine the generations who built the community you see today. Their stories, scattered across Defiance’s cemeteries — both known and newly found — remind us that the past is never truly buried; it’s waiting to be uncovered.
