Come Visit Cedar Hill

If you haven't taken time to visit Cedar Hill Cemetery recently, now is the perfect time. The flowering trees are in bloom, the birds have returned from their winter excursions, and the peaceful serenity of the surroundings is unmatched.

There are several more reasons to visit Cedar Hill now. The 120 year old entryway gates have been restored and are again adorning the historic entrance to Cedar Hill; Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation has launched its 2008 Tours and Events Season sponsored by Aetna which includes a variety of educational opportunities to learn more about the art, history and culture of Cedar Hill; the Oswin Welles bronze memorial on Section 1 was restored in the fall and looks better than ever against the backdrop of the warm, bold spring colors of the trees; and restoration work on the Colt memorial will begin tomorrow which offers a perfect opportunity to see our conservators at work on one of the most recognized and historically significant monuments at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Saturday, May 17, you can join Roaring Brook Nature Center's Jay Kaplan on a bird walk and talk through the woods of Cedar Hill. The tour will begin at 6:30am and will leave from the entranceway bridge. On Saturday, May 31, you can also join tree expert Ed Richardson for a Notable Tree Tour through Cedar Hill's historic sections. The tour will depart at 10:00am from the flagpole at the end of the entranceway drive. We look forward to seeing you at Cedar Hill soon - whether at one of our educational tours or simply taking a self-guided tour with one of our many tour guide maps.

Cedar Hill Welcomes Winter Visitors

While Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation's 2007 Tours and Events Season has come to a conclusion, visitors are still welcome to come tour Cedar Hill's expansive and impressive grounds. Since walking in the snowy, cold weather may not appeal to you, we invite you to tour the grounds from the warmth and comfort of your vehicle.

As with every season, winter is a wonderful time at Cedar Hill Cemetery. The memorial grounds are veiled by untouched snow, memorial artworks peer through their white blankets, and the trees are trimmed with glistening snow and ice. It's truly 270 acres of a winter wonderland.

Cedar Hill Cemetery is open from sunrise to sunset. However, we ask that you give our staff time to plow the roads and make the Cemetery safe for your visit after snow falls.

Colt's Home for the Holidays a Wonderful Event

Colt's Home for the Holidays was an overwhelming success. Attendees enjoyed touring Samuel and Elizabeth Colt's historic home, music filled the normally quiet halls, groups gathered to toast to the holiday season, exquisite food was available at every corner, and the evening concluded with guests coming together to sing holiday carols. As expected, it was a truly festive event and an incomparable start to the holiday season.

Beyond guests enjoying the Armsmear affair, the event was also successful in launching the Colt Memorial Restoration Campaign. All proceeds from the event will be restricted for the restoration of the Colt Memorial at Hartford's historic Cedar Hill Cemetery. We are hopeful that we can now leverage additional support from foundations and companies who recognize the importance of preserving Hartford's history.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to UHY LLP who was the presenting sponsor for this event. Their support and their commitment to preserving this important piece of Hartford's history is greatly appreciated. To learn more about UHY LLP visit http://www.uhy-us.com/.

We would also like to thank the Trustees, staff and residents of Armsmear. Since Armsmear is a private residence, we are grateful to them for opening their doors to us for this unique and spectacular event. We would also like to thank Colt's Manufacturing for donating $2,500 to support this project and the Colt Collectors Association for pledging an additional $2,500.

Finally, we would like to thank Aetna Foundation who supported Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation this year through a 2007 Tours and Events Sponsorship. Aetna Foundation's ongoing support ensures that we can continue to offer educational tours and events to the community in order to share Cedar Hill's rich history and the significant stories of those residing here in eternity.

We thank everyone who attended this event for your support, and we hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday season.

Welles Restoration Completed

Restoration of the Oswin Welles monument on Section 1 at Hartford's historic Cedar Hill Cemetery was recently completed. ConservArt, LLC completed the restoration work in a little more than two weeks and the resulting monument is simply stunning.

Prior to the restoration, the sculpture's beauty was obscured by discoloration and streaks. Now, not only does her beauty shine, but her amazing details are evident. The creases in her dress fall ever so gently, her hair flows effortlessly down her back, and her face conveys a peaceful thoughtfulness as she looks down from her perch.

If you have not yet been to Cedar Hill to visit this restored monument, we invite you to come see for yourself how stunning this piece is. She is truly a piece of art, and the Foundation is grateful to have the opportunity to preserve and protect her in perpetuity.

Symbols in Stone

Memorial artworks often include symbols, which are used to share more about the person than just his or her name, birth date and death date. For instance, a broken column can symbolize a life cut short while a lamb can signify innocence and purity. Some symbols can have very specific meanings as they relate to a particular person. For example, the horseshoe can symbolize protection from evil, however, in the case of horse nail manufacturer George Capewell, the horseshoe and nail on his memorial signify his profession. While poppies can symbolize eternal sleep, the poppies on Dr. Horace Wells's memorial have more to do with his discovery of anesthesia and, thus, pain free medicine than eternal sleep.

This Saturday, you can learn more about the various symbols on Cedar Hill's monuments as you tour the grounds with the Executive Director of the Connecticut Gravestone Network, Ruth Brown. Ms. Brown will point out various funerary symbols, such as butterflies, orbs, doves and wreaths, and share their meanings. She will also introduce attendees to memorials that were created with symbols specifically relating to the person for whom the monument was erected, such as Dr. Horace Wells and General Griffin Stedman. Anyone interested in symbolism, art, oral storytelling and history will enjoy this educational Symbols in Stone tour.

The tour will begin at 10am on Saturday, August 11 at Cedar Hill Cemetery. It is free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members and $5.00 for nonmembers. We look forward to seeing you then.