Crown Hill Cemetery and Arboretum | Find Peaceful Paths and Rich History in the Heart of Indy

Written by Sara Keller

Once a year in the fall, my kids and I love to set aside a gorgeous day for a walk in one of our favorite places to explore in Indianapolis. Where is this beloved location? If your mind immediately goes to Eagle Creek Park, Fort Harrison, or Holliday Park — we love those too! But there’s something extraordinary about an autumn day amongst the history and the trees at Crown Hill Cemetery and Arboretum.

If your family homeschools, if you have a 4th grader studying Indiana History, or if you just enjoy learning about history and nature, Crown Hill Cemetery makes an amazing field trip. You’ll find famous names everywhere you look. Let these inspire you to look up more information on the lives behind the well-known residents of Crown Hill and you’ll leave with a wealth of new knowledge about Indiana history.

Crown Hill is also beloved by locals as a great place to walk and bike. The paths here are wide and well-maintained, and the variety of inclines provides a nice challenge for those in search of some exercise. If you’re exploring at the pace of a plodding toddler, you can spend time examining the variety of trees grown here and the artwork adorning the gravestones.

Arboretum at Crown Hill Cemetery

The first time I visited Crown Hill Cemetery with my family, we were there for the trees — or rather, the numbers attached to them. My son was 3 years old and had become obsessed with maps and numbers. When I learned about the Arboretum at Crown Hill, I had a feeling a day following a map to each numbered tree would feel just like a treasure hunt and make his heart happy. It was a beautiful October day, so we grabbed a container to collect leaf specimens on our walk. We snagged a Crown Hill Tree Map at the Gothic Gate entrance off of Boulevard Place (you can also download the map here), and set off.

There are 130 tree species planted on the cemetery grounds and the Tree Map will guide you to 52 of them. Some favorites to keep an eye out for include the Weeping European Beech, the Pecan tree, and the Ginko tree, along with dozens more. A spring visit will gift you branches full of fragrant flowers, while fall allows you to pick up colorful leaves.

Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife while strolling at Crown Hill. The trees provide homes for birds and other animals. Once on an evening visit, my family even watched from a distance as a whole herd of white-tailed deer bounded through the lawns and gravesites.

Famous Names Laid to Rest at Crown Hill

You’ll likely find yourself having different conversations with your kids while walking in a cemetery than you might at — say — the local park. The location naturally invites heavier discussions on topics like death and even war, but you can also use the opportunity to discuss the intriguing and inspiring lives of the people laid to rest here. Crown Hill provides guides to the famous names you’ll see, which can help guide you as you talk about what it means to honor those who have passed away. Use the stories below to get you started!

President Benjamin Harrison

America’s 23rd president called Indianapolis home and today lies buried beneath the shade of the plentiful trees in Crown Hill Cemetery. You can find his grave in Section 13. President Harrison served from 1889-1893, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, who was the United States’ 9th president and died in 1841 after just 32 days in office.

James Whitcomb Riley

Renowned children’s writer and Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Riley, is buried at the very top of the peak that is Crown Hill’s namesake. Even if you aren’t familiar with his famous works like Raggedy Man and Little Orphant Annie, his grave is worth a visit for the breathtaking view of the Indy skyline. Riley grew up in Greenfield, Indiana, and you can visit his boyhood home for a tour next time you visit this charming community, which also hosts the annual Riley Festival each fall. Alternatively, you can also tour his Indianapolis home in Lockerbie Square.

Riley was beloved by children and was one of the founders of Indy’s Riley Children’s Hospital. At his gravesite, you’ll find pennies scattered across the marble steps and floor, left as gifts to benefit the hospital.

Eli Lilly

Several members of the famous Lilly family now rest in Crown Hill Cemetery. The graves all sit near each other in Sections 13 and 14. Colonel Eli Lilly, founder of the Lilly pharmaceutical company, is buried in the family mausoleum. His son and successor, J.K. Lilly, is also buried at Crown Hill.

John Dillinger

It’s not all presidents, poets, and pharmaceutical businessmen buried at Crown Hill. Famed gangster and bank robber John Dillinger now rests in Section 94. In his 31 years of life, Indianapolis native Dillinger became America’s Public Enemy Number 1, stealing at least $359,000 in a series of bank robberies from 1933-34.

Racing Legends

If you love the roar of the cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, you can pay your respects to racing legends of years past at Crown Hill Cemetery. Download the self-guided tour map to find directions to the graves of dozens of former drivers, mechanics, and the founders of the Speedway.

Memorials and Veteran Graves

Crown Hill contains burial space for veterans of several wars. The Crown Hill National Cemetery fills a large lawn behind the beautiful Gothic Chapel. Most veterans buried here served in the Civil War and the cemetery’s annual Memorial Day service is held in this spot. North of 38th Street is the Field of Valor, where more veterans, mostly from more recent conflicts like the Iraq War, have been laid to rest.

Events and Tours

If you have young children, we recommend visiting Crown Hill Cemetery on your own for a self-guided walk or tour using resources on the cemetery website. However, if your big kids are curious to learn more, try registering for one of Crown Hill’s many guided public tours, offered throughout the year. Most are just $10 per person and you can choose from tours focusing on the arboretum, the art on the gravestones and mausoleums, war veterans, or the history and heritage of the people buried at Crown Hill.

The cemetery has a dedicated Director of Education and teachers can arrange for free private field trips for their class. Homeschool families can register to attend the annual Homeschool Day, typically held in October, where they can interact with representatives from dozens of educational organizations and sites around Indy and participate in activities and demonstrations.

Crown Hill Cemetery also hosts an annual Memorial Day service at the National Cemetery that is open to the public.

Crown Hill Cemetery Hours

Cemetery Gate (38th and Clarendon Rd)

Open Daily

October-March: 8 am-6 pm
April-September: 8 am-8 pm

Gothic Gate (34th and Boulevard Pl)

Open Daily

Year-Round: 8 am-5 pm

Dive into even more Indiana history at these presidential locations around the state.

Seeking more fall colors? Try one of these walks or drives through the trees.

For more to do near Crown Hill, visit Newfields or make reservations for dinner at RH Indianapolis.

Address
700 West 38th Street
Indianapolis
Indiana

Visit Crown Hill Cemetery and Arboretum | Find Peaceful Paths and Rich History in the Heart of Indy

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