Western Gate

When Crown Hill Cemetery opened its gates for the first time on June 1, 1864, it placed the main entrance of the facility on its western boundary — at Michigan Road (today Martin Luther King, Jr. Street).

For 20 years, funerals and memorial processions filed through the old gateway. In 1864, omnibus transportation and steam-powered boats along the White River and canal reached the cemetery. The gate had a small office, but there was also an office in downtown Indianapolis during the cemetery’s earliest years. This original fence and office was torn down in 1901 and replaced with a new stone, arched entrance. This new gate would be used until 1965, when it was closed and removed the following year.

The Western Gate was built in 1901 and replaced the original fence, office, and entrance. This new gate would be used until 1965, when it was closed and demolished. This photo is from about 1920.