Our Indianapolis IN Cemetery
The beauty and uniqueness of Crown Hill Cemetery is evident to families who visit our beautiful grounds each year. Crown Hill Cemetery is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and is the third largest non-government cemetery in the country. Crown Hill Cemetery was dedicated on June 1, 1864. The first burial took place on June 2, 1864 for a young mother named Lucy Ann Seaton, who died of consumption.
Within the cemetery you will find our beautiful Community Mausoleum complete with a magnificent Peace Chapel, our Garden Mausoleums, and our newly constructed Pine Mausoleum. Two of our most beautiful structures are the Waiting Station and the Gothic Chapel, both of which were built in the late 1800's.The Gothic Chapel was recently enlarged and beautifully restored and now serves as a full service chapel for visitations, funerals, receptions and catered meals. On the cemetery grounds you will find a National Cemetery dedicated to those who served our country, there is also a Confederate lot on the cemetery's south grounds.
With over 555 acres and 25 miles of paved road, Crown Hill is the final resting-place to over 190,000 citizens. One of the most historically significant sites in Indiana, Crown Hill is the burial site of such famous people as: President Benjamin Harrison, Colonel Eli Lilly, eleven Indiana Governors, one Kentucky Governor, fourteen Indiana Mayors, thirteen Civil War Generals, poet James Whitcomb Riley, author Booth Tarkington, automobile manufacturer Frederick Duesenberg, and the infamous bank robber John Dillinger.
While on the grounds of Crown Hill you are likely to come across our population of animals including deer, opossums, ground hogs, foxes, birds, rabbits and squirrels. Amidst the natural setting at the cemetery you will find over 150 various trees and plant life. Tree maps are available at any of our offices or you may have one sent to you by contacting us through our e-mail page.
Memorialization Options
Lot location is determined by the type of headstone desired.
Crown Hill Cemetery is divided into large sections. Each section has rules that govern the type of memorial that can be placed on the burial property. You will see some very personal and unique memorials at Crown Hill, but they fall into three major categories:
Monument
Traditionally families will choose an upright memorial for their lot which bears the family name. Individual names and dates can also be inscribed on the monument if you wish, or head/foot markers can memorialize the individual burial spaces. (Most sections require a minimum of four spaces for a monument.)
Pillow
Some people choose an individual or companion stone that is slightly raised (8" in the back) called a pillow or bevel marker to memorialize the burial.
Lawn-Level
There are a few sections at Crown Hill that permit only lawn-level (flat) markers. Although these are the most economical, finding the burial space can be difficult in the fall when there are leaves on the ground and in the winter when there is snow on the ground.
