Modlich
Monument Company
Serving Ohio Since 1936

Linus Modlich had his own monument company in Germany; he was already a skilled stonecutter before coming to America in 1927. He came over sponsored by Mr. Zenker of Zenker Monuments, a former company of the Central Ohio area. During the height of The Great Depression, Mr. Zenker could not afford to pay Linus enough to support his wife and four children he had no choice but to leave Zenker and start his own company.

Linus founded Franklin Monument Company in 1936 on Mound Street with a $1000 loan from a relative. At first there was only a shop, and an outdoor display, the indoor showroom was not built until 1950. Initially, Linus worked alone in the shop, he also did sporadic work for other monument companies in order to make enough money to support his family. He would borrow a portable compressor from a friend in Dayton to do on-site engraving, His wife would watch after the shop while he was out doing these jobs. Linus retired in 1964 after his son John purchased the business.

John Modlich began working evenings after school in 1939, after graduating, he worked full-time until leaving to join the military. He began working again immediately after being discharged from the military in 1946. John continued to develop the company, as it was forced to relocate due to the construction of Interstate-70. The company was moved to its current location on Hague Ave in 1971. In 1983 the facility was expanded to accommodate the growing company. Now known as Modlich Monument Company, it had grown from the smallest, to one of the largest monument dealers in the Central Ohio area. John retired in 1990 when sons Jerry and Dan purchased the business.