Preserving the Stories of America’s First Veterans, One Grave at a Time

Client

America 250-Ohio

Location

Columbus, OH

Challenge

When the American Revolutionary War ended, many veterans settled in Ohio to work and live. Today, their remains are buried in cemeteries large and small throughout the state. While names of these soldiers had been recorded over generations by organizations such as the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, those records were often limited to county or regional efforts.

An estimated 6,500 to 10,000 veterans were buried across the state. Many graves were undocumented, some had deteriorated, and others had been lost entirely to time or development.

The America 250-Ohio commission set out to change that by building a single, publicly accessible record in advance of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. Delivering a complete and reliable data set within a limited timeframe required an innovative approach, as the effort was too large for a small team to complete alone.

Solution

Terracon geophysicists partnered with the America 250-Ohio commission and the Ohio History Connection to design a system that made statewide data collection possible.

Instead of relying solely on professional geophysical fieldwork, the team built a structured, public-facing data collection process using the Survey123 mobile app. The app guided participants, or “public researchers,” to document grave locations, capture photographs, record inscriptions, and submit GPS coordinates using standardized forms.

Terracon focused on building the framework behind the effort, including:

• Creating the data collection structure and forms
• Establishing standards to support consistency and quality
• Supporting data review, cleanup, and troubleshooting

Public outreach and engagement were led by project partners, helping connect the system to communities across the state.

Results

The success of the project depended on public participation. With a clear process and simple tools, the effort invited anyone with a smartphone to contribute. Hundreds of volunteers responded, documenting thousands of grave markers across Ohio. Participants ranged from historians and genealogists to families spending time together exploring local cemeteries.

The public interest surprised and delighted the project team. “People are spending weekends with their families exploring cemeteries,” said Joe Snider, Terracon senior staff geophysicist. “They are becoming aware of their local history.”

As submissions came in, the Terracon team focused on reviewing, validating, and organizing the information. Locations, images, and grave marker details were compiled into a centralized database and public map. Terracon also fielded email inquiries from the public about their work.

Beyond the data itself, the project shows how the right tools and structure can turn public interest into reliable, large-scale results and create a framework for similar efforts in other states or historical contexts.

Just before the nation’s 250th anniversary, the final resting places of nearly 4,500 Revolutionary War service members have been documented throughout Ohio. More are being added to the public record every day.

The Terracon team on this project included Joe Snider, project lead; Ryan Killion, GIS lead; Alex Corkum, GIS support, and Justin Zink as APR.

Graveside image courtesy of The Ohio History Connection