Dan Antion

Cedar Hill Cemetery – Thursday Doors

Welcome to Thursday Doors! This is a weekly challenge for people who love doors and architecture to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos, drawings, or other images or stories from around the world. If you’d like to join us, simply create your own Thursday Doors post each (or any) week and then share a link to your post in the comments below, anytime between 12:01 am Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time). If you like, you can add our badge to your post.

When I was searching for doors for Teagan Geneviene’s first Journey last week, I visited Cedar Hill cemetery. I was looking for the right tomb, and I was able to find one, but I was also visiting one of the oldest cemeteries in Hartford.

Cedar Hill cemetery was established in 1864 on 270 acres in Hartford’s south end. The cemetery’s building and grounds are beautiful. There are walking paths, ponds, wildlife and lovely buildings. According to the cemetery’s website:

“In 1999, Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation was established to preserve the art, history and natural resources of Hartford’s historic Cedar Hill Cemetery in perpetuity.”

Since my regular readers have been supporting me by visiting more often than usual (during Just Jot January normally abbreviated JusJoJan but I thought I’d ‘spell‘ it out today) I am just going to display the doors I saw during my tour. They need no explanation beyond the captions.

This is the main entrance from inside the parking area.
Side door to the small chapel.
Gallup Memorial Gateway was constructed in 1888 The Gateway’s architecture complements that of the chapel and a low granite wall connects the two structures
The Superintendent’s Cottage stands to the right of the Gallup Memorial Gateway and has been the home of Cedar Hill’s superintendents since its construction in 1875.
Entrance to the Superintendent’s Cottage.
One of the pedestrian entrances.
This 18-foot granite pyramid marks the grave of insurance executive Mark Howard,
Northam Memorial Chapel
Lower entrance to Northam Memorial Chapel.
Northam Memorial Chapel
One of the small chapels at the entrance.
There is something about stone walls and heavy wooden doors.

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130 comments

  1. Aside from shorter, less harsh winters, the only thing I really wish about where I live is that we had this type of architecture. It simply does not exist up here.

    But maybe that’s a good thing — if this cemetery were nearby, people would start spreading rumours that I was a vampire… because I’d always be creeping around in the cemetery!! (Then again, maybe THAT wouldn’t be a bad thing…….)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • They make a special effort to have the grounds be a place to wander around, Wendy. I think you’d be welcome. Not as a vampire, of course. Even though it was only in the 20s (f) the day I was there, there were people walking along the roadways.

      The buildings and many of the early tombs are in keeping with Victorian cemeteries of the 19th century.

      Like

      Reply

  6. Hi Dan – what a lovely place to have available to walk around in … and how thoughtful to have landscaped it so well. Great photos … with doors … thank you – Hilary

    Liked by 1 person

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    • I’m happy to share these doors and scenes, Hilary. They make it very easy to enjoy the grounds, and I love that they encourage visitors. I would think the people laid to rest here would be comforted by the fact that they would have visitors. Maybe that’s why they chose this place to be buried.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. I also love stone with wooden doors, thick substantial doors. But I particularly liked the Superintendent’s Cottage. It looks like the perfect backdrop for a horror movie. I especially love the picture of the Cottage with the reflection of the cross. Oh, deliciously creepy!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • I really like the picture with the cross, Pam. I’ll leave it to you to write that story.

      I read that the founders of the cemetery were hoping to raise enough money to replace that building with one in keeping with the style of the chapels. I’m glad they weren’t successful. I like that cottage the way it is.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • I agree, GP. The grounds are so well maintained, and this place is huge! I like that they welcome visitors, and have created scenic spots around small lakes, wooded areas and places where you can catch a view of the city.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • I really like the fact that the foundation encourages people to do just that, Deborah, wander around the grounds. And, they keep those grounds in such wonderful condition. I drove past two large ponds on the grounds. I saw lots of geese, but I’m sure there are many other birds that frequent this location just outside the city.

      I love the door(s) you shred, and the story of learning more about them.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. What a beautiful cemetery, Dan! I agree that stone walls and heavy wooden doors are great. Newer cemeteries just aren’t the same, but a simple headstone certainly has to be more affordable. :-) Reminds me of a beautiful cemetery we used to love to explore in the Cleveland area.

    I’ve gone a different way today, with only one door but attention to detail.

    https://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2021/01/21/thursday-doors-french-doors/

    janet

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I would agree, Janet. I wouldn’t mind being laid to rest in a nice place, but I don’t need a pyamid and a life-sized angel.

      Your door was very nice, and makes me think about travel. Maybe someday.

      Liked by 1 person

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  19. Thanks for the shout-out, Dan. I love the post you did for Dead of Winter.
    Who’d think of a cemetery as a lovely sunny place — but this one certainly is, in addition to being truly fascinating to behold. Thanks for including all these photos. Among my favorites are the “heavy wooden door” and the gates. But I love the photo of the superintendent’s cottage with that shadow of the cross on the wall. That could turn into one creepy picture. :D
    My contribution to Thursday Doors is limousine doors! Hugs on the wing!
    https://teagansbooks.com/2021/01/21/thursday-doors-with-olga-nunez-miret-john-w-howell/

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Pam had the same thought about that cross on the superintendent’s cottage. I hope there’s no real story that’s as creepy as you guys are hinting at. I like the picture, but I didn’t notice the cross until after I downloaded them from my camera.

      Limousine doors are always interesting. Famous people, famous pups, grand destinations, they really get our minds moving.

      I hope you finish this week safe and strong, Teagan.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  20. I noticed what Pam noticed–that shadow of the cross on the Superintendent’s Cottage. Such a perfect shot, Dan. We used to geocache several years ago, and one was hidden in a cemetery. I was quite horrified and wound up just walking around the grounds, taking in all the history.

    Liked by 2 people

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    • There’s a lot of history in this cemetery, Lois. I think J. P. Morgan is buried there, among other famous folk. I like the picture with the cross but I was so focused (no pun intended) on the door that I didn’t notice the cross until later. Or maybe it only appeared later…cue the Twilight Zone theme.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Welcome back Rowena. You brought us some great doors and an interesting bit of history. The guy in the pyramid tomb was quite famous, but famous in the world of insurance is still kind of boring.

      I enjoyed learning the history behind the doors you discovered. I like doors that survive to serve another purpose.

      Like

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    • Thanks Jean. The people who run the cemetery wanted the cottage to be replaced by a stone building, in keeping with the others, but I like the Victorian cottage just the way it is.

      I love the history you shared with our doors today.

      Like

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  23. Great I stepped around this tree to get a better view and seem to have tripped and fallen into one of those Alice In Wonderland doorways. Okay rabbit hole. And like several doorways now a days there was warning sign next to the door. Warning this portal leads to a facility that may contain nuts. Please leave Toto outside. No service dogs allowed. That is when I saw the sign next to it. Don’t try this at home. Or in gothic cemeteries.
    Good pics. That doorway shaped like the letter P in Waco is neat.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • The stone structures were built over time, but they kept the style of the original, except for the Superintendent’s cottage.

      I like the three doors you brought us, including the revolving door. I’ve always been fond of those.

      Like

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  39. That is a substantial church! And a scenic walk for sure.
    Just edited my own doors as I had some late information and hope I didn’t ruffle feathers in the process with a couple Missourians. eek!! Prayers appreciated! :)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  42. I love the Superintendents cottage and the granite pyramid. The side door to the small chapel is awesome with the stonework forming the arch.

    My great-grandparents sold their farm and land many years ago and it was incorporated into Kensico Cemetary in Valhalla, NY. I spent a lot of time roaming and picnicking in that cemetery with my grandmother and great aunts. The grounds are kept pristine. These “girls” thought it was very funny that the very place they grew up in until they reached adulthood, is the very place they would rest for all eternity! You gotta love it!
    Ginger

    Think positive. Test negative.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • That’s a funny thought. It’s kind of comforting in a way.

      This place is so well maintained, and I love the idea that they encourage people to enjoy the grounds. The foundation had been hoping to raise money to replace the cottage with a stone structure, but I really like the cottage the way it is.

      Take care, Ginger.

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    • I’m glad you like the cemetery, Natalie. I was surprised to find do many nice doors.

      Gates, entrances, arched walkways all count. I learned from Norm to be willing to expand the definition of ‘door’ to accommodate beautiful entrances like you brought us today.

      I hope you have a nice weekend.

      Like

      Reply

  53. Wow, those are some great images, Dan! There is a cemetery in the hills above Berkeley, CA that has a million view and also the mausoleum of some of the richest tycoons in the Million Dollar Row area. It looks similar to some of the beautiful cemetery structures the you featured this week.

    Here’s my meager contribution this week:

    https://undiscoverdimagesamongstus2.wordpress.com/2021/01/22/thursday-doors-heavy-metal/

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I guess some people want to lave their mark for all eternity. The pyramid is the most photographed tomb in Cedar Hill, but I’m not sure I’d like to be buried under it.

      I like the “trick” door you shared today. You could have fooled me with that one.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  56. Hi Dan, as usual, beautiful doors. But what a cemetary! I’d stroll through there too if I lived anywhere near. The cottage with the red heart was straight out of an English village. It doesn’t hurt to have a gorgeous blue sky for a backdrop either. Thanks for a fun read.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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