COLUMBUS, Ohio – America 250-Ohio and the Ohio History Connection will launch an interactive digital map Saturday that documents thousands of Revolutionary War veterans buried across the state.
The Revolutionary War Veterans Graves StoryMap will debut at 2 p.m. during America 250-Ohio’s Homecoming & Picnic celebration at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus. The tool also will be available online beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday at America250-Ohio.org.
The StoryMap features an interactive map, timeline, photographs and historical information documenting nearly 4,500 verified Revolutionary War veteran graves across Ohio. Users can search by county and view photographs, records and information about individual veterans. The database includes more than 6,000 photographs.
“What this project reveals is that Ohio’s connection to the founding of this nation is far deeper than most people realize,” said Krista Horrocks, historian, cemetery preservationist and project manager with the Ohio History Connection. “These veterans didn’t just fight for independence, they helped build Ohio. Their stories are here, in our communities, waiting to be found, and now anyone can find them.”
Although Ohio was not among the original 13 colonies, it became the final resting place for more Revolutionary War veterans than states such as Virginia and Pennsylvania because many veterans received land grants in the Ohio Territory as compensation for their military service.
Today, 87 of Ohio’s 88 counties have at least one documented Revolutionary War veteran grave. Van Wert County is the only county without a documented burial site, although it was named for Revolutionary War veteran Isaac Van Wart.
The project launched on Memorial Day 2025 using information from the Sons of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the American Revolution and a public crowdsourcing effort. Since then, about 570 volunteers have traveled to cemeteries across the state to photograph, document and verify burial sites.
Project organizers estimate about 7,000 Revolutionary War veterans are buried in Ohio. About 4,500 graves have been verified, and volunteers continue searching for the remaining burial sites.
“The Revolutionary War Veterans Graves project is a testament to what happens when Ohioans come together around something that matters,” said Megan Wood, CEO of the Ohio History Connection. “On a day when we celebrate what this country was built on, we’re proud to shine a light on the men and women who built it and on the volunteers who made sure their stories won’t be forgotten.”
The StoryMap will be displayed during the Homecoming & Picnic celebration, where attendees can explore the tool on a large interactive screen with assistance from staff members.
Pictured at top: The grave of John Voilet, Mount Gilead Cemetery, Scioto Township, Pike County