HHLT and New York Times

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation welcomed 250 people to its annual Haunted History Lantern Tour. "Tourists" were visited by the "spirits" of Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, Colt gun manufacturers Samuel and Elizabeth Colt, women's suffragist and spiritualist Isabella Beecher Hooker, the Mark Howard "Bad" Angel, and dentist Dr. Horace Wells. Each of these notables shared a piece of their lives and accomplishments with the audience. The event has received rave reviews, and we are already looking forward to next year's Haunted History Lantern Tour.

In addition, Cedar Hill Cemetery was recognized in the Sunday, October 26th edition of the New York Times: "Among the state's most beautiful cemeteries is Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, 270 acres of scenic walkways, a lake, specimen trees, jogging trails, a chapel and hillocks stippled with mausoleums, Egyptian obelisks and tombs of notables of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On its hills and byways are Charles Dudley Warner, who co-wrote with Mark Twain The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, the artist William Glackens and the poet Wallace Stevens." If you have still not visited Cedar Hill Cemetery, come and see why people love Cedar Hill Cemetery for yourself.

Even though Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 2008 tours and events season has come to a conclusion, we welcome visitors and offer self-guided tour maps for people interested in discovering some of Cedar Hill's extensive history. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Civil War Men and Monuments Tour Tomorrow!

Civil War expert Mike McBride will lead Saturday's Civil War Men and Monuments tour. This tour will commence at the Samuel and Elizabeth Colt monument on Section 2 at 10:00 am. While Cedar Hill Cemetery did not have its first burial until 1866, after the conclusion of the Civil War, there are several Civil War soldiers interred here. Mr. McBride will share with you their stories during this tour.

Mystery Scavenger Hunt

Don't miss Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's Mystery Scavenger Hunt tomorrow, Saturday, August 16, at 10:00 am at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Someone has stolen Anne Tracy Morgan's beloved necklace, and we need your help in finding out who. This family-friendly scavenger hunt will have you traversing Cedar Hill's historic sections as you find and follow clues to the suspected thief.

The fee for this event is $10 for scavenger groups of 2-4 people and $5 for individuals. Individuals and smaller groups will be combined to make as many groups of four as possible. Reservations are highly recommended for this event. For more information or to reserve your place to participate, please call 860-956-3311.

Upcoming Tours and Events

Due to Thursday's severe weather, Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation had to unfortunately cancel the Cedar Hill Sunset Tour. The good news is that due to the popularity of this tour, we have rescheduled it for Thursday, October 2 at 6:00 pm. In addition to watching the sunset over Cedar Mountain and learning about some of Cedar Hill's notables, attendees will also have the opportunity to traverse the historic sections on this guided tour as the colors of fall set in. Let's all hope for nice weather and mark this on your calendars now!

In the meantime, Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation still has several tours and events coming up. Next Saturday, August 16, join us for our family-friendly scavenger hunt. Teams will be given clues to solve the mystery of who stole Anne Tracy Morgan's adored necklace. Although it's a race to the finish, this event is sure to be fun for everyone. Admission for this event is $10.00 for a team of 2-4 people.

Also, on Saturday, August 23, Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation will be hosting An Evening of Jazz at Cedar Hill featuring The Steve Lord Quintet and The Tony Allen Quintet. Bring your chairs, blankets and picnic baskets and join us for an entertaining evening of jazz under the August evening sky surrounded by Cedar Hill's exquisite beauty. This event is $10 for CHCF members and $15 for nonmembers.

For the complete listing of tours and events, check out the calendar listing to the right or visit www.cedarhillcemetery.org. We hope to see you soon!

Cedar Hill Sunset Tour

Join us Thursday, August 7th at 6:00 pm for Cedar Hill's Sunset Tour. During this tour, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about some of Cedar Hill's most notable residents as the sun sets behind Cedar Mountain. This tour offers some of the most breathtaking views of the Cemetery at sunset. Wear comfortable shoes as this tour will take us traversing through the historic sections. The full tour is expected to take an hour and a half. This tour is free for CHCF members and $5.00 for nonmembers. For more information, please call 860-956-3311, ext. 13.

LGH Hosts Summer Social at Cedar Hill Cemetery

Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) recently held their Annual Summer Social at Cedar Hill Cemetery. LGH invited leaders of today to enjoy Cedar Hill's art, history and beauty amongst the leaders of the past at this unique summer celebration. Attendees enjoyed hors-d'oeuvres, cocktails, dinner, live music, a scavenger hunt, a caricature artist and games from the 1800s. Several attendees took the opportunity to tour the historic grounds and visit the final resting places of Hartford notables such as J.P. Morgan, George Beach and Katharine Hepburn. From infants to retired adults, everyone enjoyed this outdoor event.

Cedar Hill Cemetery & Foundation welcome groups who want to use the grounds for recreational and educational purposes. Designed in a park-like manner, Cedar Hill Cemetery was once the place for families to go for picnics and leisure activities. Furthermore, many of Cedar Hill's notables are linked to businesses that still exist throughout Greater Hartford today. To learn more about scheduling a private tour or event at Cedar Hill Cemetery, call 860-956-3311, ext. 13.

Cedar Hill Sunset Tour - August 7

Mark your calendars now to join us Thursday, August 7 at 6:00 pm for the Cedar Hill Sunset Tour. Learn about Gideon Welles, the Secretary of the Navy under Abraham Lincoln; Joseph Hopkins Twichell, Asylum Hill Congregational Church's pastor for 47 years and very good friend of Mark Twain; Horace Wells, Hartford dentist and discoverer of anesthesia; and many more Hartford notables. We will traverse the historic sections while taking in some of the most breathtaking views of the Cemetery as the sun sets over Cedar Mountain.

Wear comfortable walking shoes for this hour and a half tour. Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members are free and non-members are $5.00.

Cedar Hill Notables Tour July 15

Cedar Hill is the final resting place for many Hartford notables, including Dr. Horace Wells, Samuel and Elizabeth Colt, J.P. Morgan and Katharine Hepburn. Learn about these and other notables who helped to shape the world in which we live at our next Notables Tour on Tuesday, July 15 at 10:00 am. This tour is free for CHCF members and $5.00 for nonmembers. If you would like to attend, please RSVP by noon on Monday, July 14 by calling 860-956-3311, ext. 13. For more information about this event or for the complete 2008 Tours and Events schedule, visit www.cedarhillcemetery.org.

An Evening of Jazz at Cedar Hill

Purchase your tickets today to join us for An Evening of Jazz at Cedar Hill featuring The Tony Allen Quintet and The Steve Lord Quintet on Saturday, August 23 from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Tony Allen has performed alongside the likes of Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. In 2003, he put Front Street in Hartford on the map with his second album and title track I Remember Front Street. Steve Lord has over 35 years of performing experience and has opened for many celebrities, including Ray Charles, Slide Hampton and Sammy Davis Jr. These two groups are sure to provide an incomparable evening of entertainment at Hartford's historic and incomparable Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Join us for this unique evening of music at Cedar Hill under the August evening sky. Attendees are invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnic baskets and to find the perfect spot on the open lawn to partake in this fabulous evening of jazz.

Tickets are available for $10 for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members and $15 for nonmembers. The rain date for this event will be Sunday, August 24. To purchase your tickets or for more information, please call 860-956-3311, ext. 13.

3rd Tuesday Notables Tour - This Tuesday!

Join us for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 3rd Tuesday Notables Tour on Tuesday, June 17 at 10:00 am. Led by our expert tour guide Doris Griffith, you will learn about some of Cedar Hill's notable residents who helped to shape the world in which we live. For instance, do you know for what Dr. Horace Wells is famous? Do you know what J.P. Morgan's monument represents? Do you know from where the Hepburn memorial came? Join us to find the answers to these questions and many more.

If you are planning to join us, please RSVP by noon on Monday, June 16 by calling 860-956-3311. We look forward to seeing you there!

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 2008 Tours and Events Season is sponsored in part by Aetna.

They Called me Lizzy is Simply Remarkable

The East Haddam Stage Company's performance of They Called me Lizzy. . .from slavery to the White House was simply remarkable. Stephanie Jackson, who played Elizabeth Keckly in this one-person performance, was amazing. While it was a smaller turnout than we had hoped, those who did attend raved about Stephanie's performance and this truly heart-felt story about a woman who was a slave for 30 years and, after buying her and her son's freedom, became First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and confidante. We hope to continue to bring East Haddam Stage Company performances to Cedar Hill in the future.

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's next event is the 3rd Tuesday Notables Tour, which will be held at Cedar Hill Cemetery on Tuesday, June 17 at 10:00 am. Learn about Hartford's history and the people who contributed to the world in which we live, including Dr. Horace Wells, Isabella Beecher Hooker, Samuel and Elizabeth Colt, J.P. Morgan and Katharine Hepburn. This event is free for CHCF members and $5.00 for nonmembers. If you plan to attend, please RSVP by Monday, June 16 at noon by calling 860-956-3311.

East Haddam Stage Company to Perform at Cedar Hill

Join us Saturday, June 7 at Cedar Hill Cemetery as the East Haddam Stage Company performs They Called me Lizzy. . .from Slavery to the White House. This one-person show tells the story of Elizabeth Keckly, Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and author of Behind the Scenes, 30 years a slave and four years in the White House.

This event will take place on the Colt lot at the top of Section 2 and will begin at 10:00am. Admission is $5.00 for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members and $8.00 for nonmembers.

CHCF Receives Award from HPA

The Hartford Preservation Alliance awarded Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation two awards last night at their 7th annual awards celebration. The first award recognized Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's stewardship and preservation efforts of Hartford's historic Cedar Hill Cemetery. The second award recognized the Foundation and author Rudy Favretti for the publication of Jacob Weidenmann: Pioneer Landscape Architect. Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation is grateful to all the people, businesses, foundations, and government entities that support our efforts to care for and preserve Cedar Hill's incomparable memorial grounds. We would also like to thank the Hartford Preservation Alliance for recognizing our efforts.

Don't forget that Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation will be hosting its annual tree walk with tree expert Ed Richardson on Saturday, May 31 at 10am. This tour is free for all. From our monument preservation to our meticulous care of the trees and plants, we are committed to preserving these impressive memorial grounds. Come see for yourself.

Cedar Hill's Annual Rare and Notable Tree Walk

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation is hosting its annual tree walk on Saturday, May 31 at 10:00 am. Led by tree expert Ed Richardson, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about some of Cedar Hill's rare and notable trees. The tour will begin at the flagpole at the end of the entranceway drive and is expected to take between an hour and an hour and a half. This tour is free for all.

Hartford Courant Highlights Irene McHugh

Did you see the article about Irene McHugh in the Wednesday, May 21st edition of the Hartford Courant? Susan Campbell shared with her readers Irene's contributions to Cedar Hill during her time with Hartford's historic cemetery. With Irene retiring from Cedar Hill Cemetery at the end of the month, it was a fitting tribute for someone who has done so much to bring Cedar Hill's history to life.

If you missed the article, visit http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-susan0521.artmay21,0,7142579.column.

Don't miss your last opportunity to participate in a guided tour with Cedar Hill's Education Director, Irene McHugh, prior to her retirement on May 30. Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 3rd Tuesday Notables Tour will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 10:00 am starting at the flag pole at the end of the entryway drive. Ms. McHugh will share with you the lives and accomplishments of some of Cedar Hill's most notable residents, including Samuel and Elizabeth Colt, J.P. Morgan and actress Katharine Hepburn. This tour is free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members and $5.00 for nonmembers. For more information, call 860-956-3311, ext. 13.

Last day for Early Bird Special

Today is the last day for members to take advantage of the members-only, early bird special for discounted Run for the Roses tickets. Members sending in their checks today can purchase tickets for $100 each. After today, all individual tickets can be purchased through April 25th for $125 each. A table of ten can be purchased for $1,000.

You don't want to miss this event! Cheer on your favorite Kentucky Derby contender as you enjoy hors d'oeuvres, cocktails - including mint juleps, and a silent auction. Following the race, you will enjoy dinner and live music by pianist Jeff Wieselberg. Jeff will turn the Hartford Golf Club into an exciting piano bar as he plays your requests. Joe D'Ambrosio, WTIC radio personality, Voice of the UConn Huskies and friend of Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation, will be our emcee for the evening. Bring your friends for what promises to be a good time for all. Tickets are selling fast - don't miss out!

The Run for the Roses will be held on Saturday, May 3 at the Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford, Connecticut. All proceeds support Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's mission to preserve and protect the art, history and natural resources of Hartford's historic Cedar Hill Cemetery in perpetuity.

CHCF's 2008 Tours and Events

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation is pleased to announce its tours and events for the 2008 season. From touring the landscape, to learning about Cedar Hill's notable residents to watching a performance about the life of Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and confidante, you are sure to find an event just perfect for you. You can find a full listing of tours and events in the column to right.

If you are interested in scheduling a private tour or event at Cedar Hill Cemetery during our 2008 season, contact the Foundation at 860-956-3311.

Save the Date - May 3, 2008

Mark May 3, 2008 on your calendars and join us for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 2nd Annual Run for the Roses at The Hartford Golf Club. In addition to watching the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby aired live from Churchill Downs, guests will enjoy hors-d'oeuvres, cocktails, dinner, live music and a silent auction.

Joe D'Ambrosio, WTIC radio personality and voice of the UConn Huskies, will be returning as emcee.

Tickets are available for $125 per person. Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members are invited to take advantage of a members-only, early-bird special. Through Friday, April 4th, members can purchase tickets for $100 each.

All proceeds support Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's mission to preserve and protect the art, history and natural resources of Hartford's historic Cedar Hill Cemetery in perpetuity.

For more information, contact Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation at 860-956-3311. We look forward to seeing you for the festivities!

Mark Your Calendars Now!

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation is in the midst of planning its 2008 Tours & Events Season. We are excited to announce that we will be launching the season with our 2nd Annual Run for the Roses fundraiser which will be held on Saturday, May 3rd at The Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford starting at 4:30 pm. Proceeds from this event support the mission and vision of Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation.

From the Run for the Roses through October there will be a plethora of tours and events to partake in at Cedar Hill. On Saturday, May 10, for instance, join author Rudy Favretti as he explains the components of the American rural cemetery movement and Jacob Weidenmann’s interpretation of it at Cedar Hill. During this hour-long tour, attendees will learn about Cedar Hill's exquisite landscape. Other events in May include a bird walk with Jay Kaplan on Saturday, May 17 at 6:30 am, Cedar Hill's Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony on Monday, May 24 beginning at 10:00 am, and a Notable Tree Tour with Ed Richardson on Saturday, May 31 at 10:00 am.

Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's complete 2008 Tours and Events calendar will be available in March. For tour and event information including fees, visit Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's blog often and visit Cedar Hill Cemetery & Foundation's website at http://www.cedarhillcemetery.org/ We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.