Route 50 Tombstone – Little Hocking, Ohio - Atlas Obscura
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Route 50 Tombstone

Little Hocking, Ohio

In the middle of an abandoned stretch of old Route 50 lies a tombstone that weighs three tons.  

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Route 50 Tombstone rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
Route 50 Tombstone rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
Route 50 Tombstone rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
Route 50 Tombstone rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
A view of the monument from in front of the gate. rbt45769 (Atlas Obscura User)
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A portion of old Route 50 in Little Hocking, Ohio has been abandoned for some time due to road slippage. This section of the old road has been bypassed by a modern four-lane highway. A gate now stands to prevent entry down the old roadway. 

After people from around the community continued to force open the gate, local residents were forced to get creative. Township employees came up with the idea to reinforce the gate by placing behind the gate a massive tombstone. This tombstone was dumped years ago on a hillside near its present location, according to the property owner.

Little is known about the tombstone and may have belonged to the wife of Walter Wallace. It may have been her tombstone, removed and replaced by a much smaller headstone. The monument is composed of Georgia blue granite and was likely quarried in the south possibly in Elberton, Georgia, and shipped to either Marietta, Ohio, or Parkersburg, West Virginia for inscription work and installation. If purchased today, this type of monument could cost well over $30,000. 

Know Before You Go

Little Hocking is located halfway between Coolville, Ohio, and Belpre, Ohio. Belpre is directly across the river from Parkersburg, WV.


Tower Road can be accessed from either direction on the four-lane highway known as Routes 50, 32 and 7. 
Turn onto Tower Road at the Dollar General store and follow the road over the hill and to the gate. There are no restrictions on viewing this oddity!

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April 7, 2020
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