Established in 1864, Cedar Hill Cemetery is the is among the most prominent American rural cemeteries and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Encompassing 270 acres on the South side of Hartford, Connecticut, Cedar Hill offers its visitors a tranquil and serene world of art, history and nature.

Since its establishment, Cedar Hill's mission has been to provide "the promise of rest and peace for the dead, satisfactory to the most cultivated taste of the living and made forever secure as a sacred trust in the care of a perpetual corporation."

Cedar Hill Cemetery was designed by Swiss-born Jacob Weidenmann who had previously designed Hartford's Bushnell Park.  In the forefront of the developing profession of landscape architecture, Weidenmann's design innovations at Cedar Hill marked the beginning of his national prominence as a a pioneer in the field of landscape architecture.

Cedar Hill's landscape incorporates several features unique in rural cemetery design. For example, fences and curbing around plots, a common feature of earlier rural cemeteries, were eliminated to allow for a more open park-like feel. In addition, burial plots are not always adjoining, which allows for plantings between the lots creating beautiful, unbroken vistas.

Cedar Hill's innovative design played a significant role in the American cemetery development and became the guiding principle of Weidenmann's book, Modern Cemeteries, published in 1889.

The Northam Memorial Chapel was built in 1882 with funds donated by prominent Hartford businessman Colonel Charles Harvey Northam.  Constructed of Westerly granite, it was designed by the prominent 19th century Hartford architect, George Keller.  Unused for nearly 50 years, the chapel was completely restored in 1999 and now houses the Cemetery's business and administrative offices.

Also designed by George Keller, the Gallup Memorial Gateway was constructed in 1888 and completes the Cemetery's entrance.

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