Burial at Crown Hill National Cemetery: A family guide

History of Crown Hill National Cemetery

On July 1, 2022, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) opened a new 15-acre national cemetery at Crown Hill National Cemetery Annex.

Crown Hill National Cemetery is located 2.8 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis, Ind., within the private Crown Hill Cemetery. During the Civil War, Union soldiers who died while stationed at the various camps near Indianapolis and at local hospitals were originally buried at nearby Green Lawn Cemetery. However, concern over the limited acreage and poor maintenance of these facilities led the governor to request a national cemetery for the city. The Federal government purchased lots within the new Crown Hill Cemetery (established in 1863) and in 1866, the remains buried at Green Lawn were reinterred at Crown Hill in a ceremony attended by James A. Ekin, the deputy quartermaster general. Today, the private Crown Hill is notable as the third-largest non-government cemetery in America.

In addition to the Union soldiers, Confederate prisoners were buried at Crown Hill National Cemetery. During the Civil War there were typically more than 3,500 Confederates held prisoner at Camp Morton on the north side of Indianapolis. Originally, the principle mustering, recruiting, and encampment site for many Hoosier regiments. After the fall of Forts Donelson and Henry in early 1862, thousands of captured Confederates were sent north to POW camps such as Camp Morton (others included Camp Butler in Springfield, Ill.; Camp Chase in Columbus, Ohio; and Camp Douglas in Chicago). About 15,000 prisoners occupied Camp Morton between 1862 and 1865. Typical of most prison facilities at that time, Camp Morton was unprepared for the large influx of prisoners. Medical care, food, and sanitary conditions were inadequate. Between 1862 and 1865, more than 1,700 Confederate deaths at Camp Morton resulted. Still, the death rates at Camp Morton were lower than most Northern prisons.

After it became the city's responsibility to find an acceptable burial ground for the Southern dead, a section of the Green Lawn cemetery was turned over to the government for burials. After the war, this land was sold to the railroad, and the remains removed to a mass grave in Section 32 of Crown Hill Cemetery. In 1989, two Indianapolis police officers initiated an effort to mark the graves of the Confederate POWs; other groups and individuals joined in, and in 1993 the new Confederate Memorial was dedicated. Crown Hill National Cemetery, including the national cemetery tract, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Notable veterans buried at Crown Hill National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration documents the following veterans of note buried at Crown Hill National Cemetery, listed by section and site as recorded in the cemetery's official register.

• Crown Hill National Cemetery Sergeant John Morrow (Revolutionary War). Morrow (1760–1835) enlisted in the Patriot cause in December 1776 at age 16. He served for three months with Captain W. Blain's Pennsylvania Militia company. He enlisted for two more three-month terms in 1778 and 1779, serving with several Pennsylvania militia regiments and attaining the rank of sergeant. Morrow was wounded in action and fought at the Battle of Crooked Billet during the Philadelphia Campaign of 1778. After the war he became a Methodist minister and was known for his long sermons. Morrow died in 1835 and was originally buried on a farm near Mt. Jackson in Indianapolis before being moved to Crown Hill National Cemetery on March 16, 1900. He now rests in Section 9, Site 14.

Eligibility for burial at Crown Hill National Cemetery

Planning ahead for a Veteran's or loved-one's final resting place can eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce stress on a family at a difficult time.

The Department of Veterans Affairs covers the grave plot, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, and a U.S. burial flag at no cost to eligible families.

Visiting hours

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day.

How to schedule a burial at Crown Hill National Cemetery

1. The funeral home or family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 (24/7 for active funeral arrangements).
2. Provide the veteran's full name, date of birth, social security number, dates of service, branch, and date of death.
3. Fax or email the DD-214 to the cemetery's interment office for verification.
4. Once eligibility is confirmed (typically 30–60 minutes for complete documentation), the cemetery assigns a date, time, and committal shelter.
5. The funeral home transports the deceased to Crown Hill National Cemetery at the assigned time. The cemetery handles opening, closing, and perpetual care from that point.

Where Crown Hill National Cemetery sits in the Indiana cemetery system

Crown Hill National Cemetery is one of the veteran cemeteries operating in Indiana. The cemetery is currently closed to new in-ground burials but may accept cremated remains in some cases. Families should verify status before planning.

For families considering alternatives, the nearest veteran cemeteries appear in our cemetery sidebar. If Crown Hill National Cemetery is fully reserved, those alternatives are typically the next options.