The first area used as an interment ground in Hartford was located in the center of the city, near to where the Old State House now stands. Nothing remains of it—not even the names of those who were interred there. Information of it, however, is found in the publication, Hartford in the Olden Time published in 1853 by Stuart Publishers.

The first established public burying ground in Hartford, located adjacent to Center Church at the intersection of Main and Gold streets is known as the Ancient Burying Ground. It is there that the Rev. Thomas Hooker is said to have been laid to rest, along with several other founders of Hartford.

The second-oldest extant cemetery in Hartford is Old South located on Maple Avenue at Benton Street in the Barry Square Neighborhood.

Old North Burying Ground and Spring Grove Cemetery are sited adjacent to one another north of downtown. A cross-section of 19th century Hartford society is represented at Old North, along with Jewish and Italian immigrants, and Civil War soldiers.

In 1852 a tract of 10 acres west of Spring Grove was purchased to create Cathedral Cemetery. Also called Old Catholic Cemetery, today the burial ground is more commonly known as Saint Patrick Cemetery, it is closely linked to Saint Peter Church in Hartford.

Located at Ward and Zion Streets, Zion Hill Cemetery has also been referred to as Zion's Hill. The area is elevated and offers commanding views of downtown. The south part of the cemetery is called Mount Pleasant. Zion Hill is maintained by the City of Hartford.

There are several Jewish cemeteries in the city—For a list of Jewish cemeteries from the Cohen/Goldfarb collection, click here. A list is also available at the Weinstein Mortuary website.

There are also odd little pockets around the city that have served as the final resting place of residents. One is adjacent to St. Anthony's Church on Market Street downtown. Read about that here. In the mid-19th century, the area just east of what is now Sigourney Park held an Alms House. A section of the park was used for the Alms House burying ground and 49 smallpox casualties were interred there.

Probably the most unusual location is the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch that spans Trinity Street in Bushnell Park. Within the walls of the east tower are the ashes of its designer, architect George Keller, who died in 1935, along with those of his wife, Mary, who died in 1946.

Perhaps Hartford's most beloved cemetery is Cedar Hill located in the South West neighborhood. It is a wonderful example of the rural cemetery movement of the 19th century and not only can claim to be the final resting place of many notables, but is also a beautifully landscaped park that offers a variety of tours and programs. A book published in 1903 by Cedar Hill describes the evolution of the rural cemetery from the practice of churchyard burials. Read an excerpt here.

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