Indian Hill Cemetery is a historic

rural cemetery A rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of cemetery that became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-nineteenth century due to the overcrowding and health concerns of urban cemeteries. They were typically built one to five ...

located at 383 Washington Street in Middletown,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

on a hill adjacent to

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Epis ...

History

The hill was originally named "''Wunne Wah Jet''" by the indigenous

Wangunk The Wangunk or Wongunk were an Indigenous people from central Connecticut. They had three major settlements in the areas of the present-day towns of Portland, Middletown, and Wethersfield. They also used lands in other parts of what were later org ...

people who lived in Middletown. Sowheage, a grand

sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...

in the tribe, built fortifications on the hill around 1639 to protect against enemy tribes and European settlers. Over time, the Wangunk sold much of the surrounding land to settlers but kept the hill parcel for themselves. The Wangunk and settlers lived peacefully together for many decades but the hill parcel was eventually sold to settlers in the late 1700s. The cemetery was developed as part of the

City Beautiful movement The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy of North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of introducing beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. It was a part of the ...

which promoted the development of rural environments and landscapes for public spaces including cemeteries. After the

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

epidemic of 1841, rural cemeteries were thought to be more hygienic since they were located on the outskirts of cities. The Indian Hill Cemetery was organized June 11, 1850, under a general act of legislation passed in 1841. The cemetery was dedicated on September 30, 1850, and became the burial site of choice for Middletown's elite.

Russell Chapel

The brownstone gothic revival Russell Chapel was built in 1867. Samuel Russell was a businessman who owned the Russell & Company trading business in

Canton, China Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kong ...

. He was the first president of the Indian Hill Cemetery Association and the chapel was built by his wife in his memory. The chapel houses the original bell forged at the

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany a ...

Meneely Bell Foundry The Meneely Bell Foundry was a bell foundry established in 1826 in West Troy (now Watervliet), New York, by Andrew Meneely. Two of Andrew's sons continued to operate the foundry after his death, while a third son, Clinton H. Meneely, opened a se ...

in 1868. The chapel is listed on the Connecticut Register of Historic Places.

Notable burials

Joseph Wright Alsop IV Joseph Wright Alsop IV (April 2, 1876 – March 17, 1953) was an American politician and father of Joseph Alsop, Joseph Wright Alsop V and Stewart Alsop. He served in the Connecticut General Assembly and ran for Congress on the Progressive Party ...

(1876–1953), politician and insurance executive * Joseph Wright Alsop V (1910–1989), journalist * Stewart Alsop (1914–1974), newspaper columnist and political analyst *

Wilbur Olin Atwater Wilbur Olin Atwater (May 3, 1844 – September 22, 1907) was an American chemist known for his studies of human nutrition and metabolism, and is considered the father of modern nutrition research and education. He is credited with developing t ...

(1844–1907), chemist known for his studies of human nutrition and metabolism * Everett Bacon (1890–1989), college football quarterback *

Raymond E. Baldwin Raymond Earl Baldwin (August 31, 1893 – October 4, 1986) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Connecticut and also as the 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut. A conservative Republican, he was elected governo ...

(1893–1986), 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut *

Owen Vincent Coffin Owen Vincent Coffin (June 20, 1836 – January 13, 1921) was an American politician and the 56th Governor of Connecticut from 1895 to 1897. Biography Coffin was born in Mansfield, New York. He studied at Cortland Academy and the Charlottesvil ...

(1836–1921), 56th Governor of Connecticut * Morris B. Crawford (1852–1940), first professor of physics at Wesleyan University *

John Kenneth Galbraith John Kenneth Galbraith (October 15, 1908 – April 29, 2006), also known as Ken Galbraith, was a Canadian-American economist, diplomat, public official, and intellectual. His books on economic topics were bestsellers from the 1950s through t ...

(1908–2006), economist *

Samuel Dickinson Hubbard Samuel Dickinson Hubbard (August 10, 1799 – October 8, 1855) was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut and the 15th U.S. Postmaster General. Early life Samuel Dickinson Hubbard was born in Middletown, Connecticut. He pursued classical st ...

(1799–1855), U.S. Representative from Connecticut *

William Stone Hubbell William Stone Hubbell (April 19, 1837 – August 28, 1930) was a United States Army captain during the American Civil War, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Biography Hubbell entered army service at North Stonington (New London County), Con ...

(1837–1930), U.S. Civil War Medal of Honor recipient * Ebenezer Jackson Jr. (1796–1874), U.S. Representative from Connecticut *

William Manchester William Raymond Manchester (April 1, 1922 – June 1, 2004) was an American author, biographer, and historian. He was the author of 18 books which have been translated into over 20 languages. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal and the ...

(1922–2004), author, biographer and historian *

Joseph K. Mansfield Joseph King Fenno Mansfield (December 22, 1803 – September 18, 1862) was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and a Union general in the American Civil War, mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam. Early life Mansfield was ...

(1803–1862), Union General during the U.S. Civil War *

Sigmund Neumann Sigmund Neumann (May 1, 1904 - October 22, 1962) was a German political scientist and sociologist. Born in Leipzig but emigrating first to London and then to the United States following the rise of Nazi Germany, Neumann was a leading proponent o ...

(1904–1962), political scientist and sociologist *

James Timothy Pratt James Timothy Pratt (December 14, 1802 – April 11, 1887) was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut. Born in Cromwell, Connecticut, Pratt attended the common schools. He engaged in mercantile and agricultural pursuits in Hartford, Connect ...

(1802–1887), U.S. Representative from Connecticut *

William North Rice William North Rice (1845–1928) was an American geologist, educator, and Methodist minister and theologian concerned with reconciliation of science and religious faith. Early life and education William North Rice was born November 21, 1845 in ...

(1845–1928), geologist, Methodist minister, theologian *

Samuel L. Warner Samuel Larkin Warner (June 14, 1828 – February 6, 1893) was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut, brother of Levi Warner. Born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, Warner attended Wilbraham Academy, Wilbraham, Massachusetts, and the law departme ...

(1828–1893), U.S. Representative from Connecticut * Frank B. Weeks (1854–1935), 64th Governor of Connecticut

References

External links

Official website
* {{Coord, 41.5557, -72.6636, display=title 1850 establishments in Connecticut Cemeteries in Middlesex County, Connecticut Rural cemeteries