238 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Ind. 
Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Ind., one of the very 
largest cemeteries of the country, perhaps of the world, is situ- 
ated about three and a half miles northeast of the city, on the 
ENTRANCE TO CROWN HILL CEIVIEFERY. 
highest ground in its vicinity, the highestpoint being 
one hundred and eighty feet above the city’s streets. 
It comprises nearly 4323^ acres of rolling ground, 
very diversified in character; hill, vale, plain and 
dell finding expression in its modulations of surface, 
alternating in forest and lawn, and broadly speak- 
ing every foot appropriate for the purpose intended. 
It has however no water scenery. 
It was established in 1863 by citizens who had 
been prominent in the old burial ground affairs, who 
called in for consultation Mr. John Chislett, then 
superintendent of the Allegheny Cemetery, Pitts- 
burgh, Pa., and father of the present superintendent 
of Crown Hill, Mr. F. W. Chislett. Mr. Chislett 
strongly urged the purchase of the present site, and 
it was dedicated June i, 1864. The funda- 
mental principle of the organization was that the 
receipts from sales of lots should be devoted to the 
care, maintenance and improvement of the ceme- 
tery, with the proviso that after twenty-five years, 
any twenty-five corporators of the cemetery may di- 
rect the managers, if a fund sufficient for all ceme- 
tery uses has been accumulated, to appropriate a 
portion to the benefit of the poor of Indianapolis. 
This secures the property against speculative innova- 
tions. The board of managers is selected annually 
by the board of incorporators, and vacancies in the 
latter body are filled by the vote of the remaining 
members, thus making it self-perpetuating. Every 
lot owner has an interest equal to that of the in- 
corporators. 
The influence of Adolph Strauch, reflected in Mr. 
John Chislett, and soon to the present superinten- 
dent has dominated the policy of design and main- 
tenance. From its original wildness it has been 
converted into a beautiful burial park, possessing 
such a harmony in its general appearance, as well 
considered landscape work and settled policy may 
produce. Beautiful lawns broken into picturesque 
effects by groves of forest trees, artistically planted 
groups of shrubbery, and isolated specimens to em- 
phasize certain features of design, unmarred by any 
profusion of individual memorial display, leaves a 
natural simplicity, restful and comforting in its re- 
poseful influences. 
Seven and a quarter miles ot road traverse the 
grounds, formed of a fine gravel which when rolled 
and packed makes a road equal to macadam. Thir- 
ty-nine sections are platted and eleven more graded 
SCENE IN CROWN HILL CEMETERY. 
