Survey Pins Cemetery In Middletown As One Of Nation's Most Beautiful

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A recent survey has ranked Indian Hill Cemetery as one of the 100 most beautiful in the nation.

Choice Mutual, an insurance agency specializing in final expense life insurance, surveyed 3,007 respondents, asking them to name what they consider the most beautiful hidden gem cemetery they have visited.

No. 70 was Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown.

Here is its description in the survey:

"A sweeping garden cemetery perched above the Connecticut River, established in 1850. Elegant Gothic chapels, curving lanes, and old maples give it a romantic, almost secret-park atmosphere overlooked by many travelers."

The survey added, "There"s something strangely beautiful about wandering through America’s hidden cemeteries. Away from the polished lawns of the big memorial parks, these smaller, often forgotten resting places carry a quiet intimacy. Weathered headstones lean at odd angles, draped in moss or framed by wildflowers. Names etched in fading stone tell fragments of local history. Visiting these spots feels less like sightseeing and more like stepping into a storybook of the past, whispered through silence."

The website Indian-hill.org says this:

"Perhaps the most scenic and tranquil area in Middletown, Indian Hill Cemetery was established in 1850 as part of the America Beautiful movement. It promoted rural environments and serene landscaping for public places, particularly cemeteries. This intention is well represented at the Indian Hill Cemetery with its exceptional views, winding pathways and historic trees.

"Indian Hill Cemetery became the cemetery of choice for Middletown's elite in the late 19th century; it also reflects Middletown's great diversity, containing graves of families from all the European countries, the Far East, Africa, as well as this area's first settlers and descendants.

"Today, Indian Hill Cemetery is still the geographic and community centerpiece of Middletown. It is an active cemetery and welcomes all faiths and races. Many burial plots are still available. A columbarium (permanent granite structure for housing urns of cremation ashes) and its niches are also available for purchase."