INDIANAPOLIS — Just north of downtown Indianapolis sits Crown Hill Cemetery.
The 555-acre property is the final resting place of more than 225,000 people, according to Crown Hill Heritage Foundation president David Rieck.
"Our mission is to preserve and celebrate the cemetery," Rieck said.
Preservation is crucial, he says, because September marks 160 years since the founding of Crown Hill Cemetery.
"There are so many great stories buried here," Rieck said.
Some of the most popular names include President Benjamin Harrison, James Whitcomb Riley and Colonel Eli Lilly, just to list a few.
"There are names in the history of Indianapolis that you'll recognize certainly," Rieck said.
Perhaps, there are also names you will not recognize.
"Maybe people don't know who Alexander Ralston is, but he is the one who designed and platted out the city of Indianapolis. The grid system that we use is his. If you go look at his tombstone, there is a grid of the city of Indianapolis on there," Rieck said.
About 25 miles of roadways wind through the 160-year-old property, available for visitors to drive, walk and ride bikes.
Crown Hill is also home to three national cemeteries and an accredited Level II arboretum with more than 11,000 trees.
"It is just really a great place to come and experience solitude and peace kind of in the middle of downtown," Rieck said.
Crown Hill is commemorating the 160-year achievement with a one-time anniversary tour of the grounds.
"It will be similar to our heritage tour, but it will go deeper into the stories about Crown Hill's history, as well as the city's history," Rieck said.
Tickets for the Saturday, Sept. 23 tour are sold out, but there are several ways to see Crown Hill Cemetery in person.
"We have kindergarteners out here," Rieck said. "We have had pre-school kids out here all the way to college kids and adult groups. There is something for everyone out here, and you can always learn."
As leaders at Crown Hill look back at the last 160 years, they are also looking forward.
"The reason Crown Hill is so important is because of the stories," Rieck said. "The second we lose those stories, we lose our heritage, we lose who we are, and we lose why we are here."
Preservation is a key factor in maintaining those stories, according to Rieck.
As for what the future holds, Rieck said he hopes people will see Crown Hill as one of Indy's strongest cultural institutions.
"We are always coming across new stories and ways to interact with the cemetery," Rieck said.
Plus, staff at Crown Hill say they are always looking for volunteers to help maintain the tombstones.
"One hundred and sixty years means there is a lot of old stuff out here," Rieck said.
Just as the "old" is restored, "new" technology is taking over as Crown Hill enters another year.
According to Rieck, the foundation plans to launch a drone tour of Crown Hill, highlighting more than 50 spots on the property.
"There is going to be all kinds of ways to interact with the cemetery," Rieck said.
Officials say the drone tour is expected to launch in October 2023.