April 2023
APRIL 18, 7:00 PM. LECTURE: BIRDWATCHING FOR BEGINNERS
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
While actually drawing birds in front of the audience, artist and naturalist Robert Braunfield will discuss ways to identify birds with sketches of size, shape, behavior, coloration, migration, and more. The program is a uniquely educational, and entertaining, way to learn the basics of birdwatching. A collaboration with the Wethersfield Historical Society and Great Meadows Conservation Trust, the lecture will be held at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT.
Admission is $10.00 and free to members of Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation, Wethersfield Historical Society, and Great Meadows Conservation Trust.Tickets are available online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org or at the door on the evening of the event.
May 2023
MAY 2, 7:00PM. THE GROTESQUE 10: COLLEGIATE ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Mathew Duman will share stories of the unique grotesques and gargoyles he discovered on his “safari” to universities around the country. The illustrated lecture highlights the variety of ornament, history, and humor these campuses, including Yale and Trinity, have to offer. A collaboration with the Wethersfield Historical Society, the lecture will be held at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT.
Admission is $10.00 and free to members of Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation and Wethersfield Historical Society. Tickets are available online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org or at the door on the evening of the event.
MAY 13, 6:30AM. BIRD WALK
Free – Reservations Encouraged
Join Jay Kaplan from Roaring Brook Nature Center for his annual bird walk at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Jay will lead participants through the cemetery’s ornamental foreground in search of resident and migratory birds. Appropriate hiking shoes and binoculars are strongly recommended.
Admission is Free. Advance reservations are encouraged and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
MAY 17, 10:00 AM. DISCOVER CEDAR HILL – HIGHLIGHT TOUR
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Bob Chudy leads this introductory tour about Cedar Hill Cemetery’s most prominent residents. Hear about the discoverer of anesthesia, an Academy-award winning actress, and the man who saved the country from bankruptcy twice on this walking tour of the historic cemetery. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
MAY 20, 10:00AM. CIVIL WAR POWS
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
More than 200 Civil War soldiers, some of whom endured horrific conditions as prisoners of war, are buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Evelyn Bollert leads visitors on a tour of the final resting places of prisoners of the Civil War and tells their stories of bravery, resilience, and heartbreak. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
June 2023
JUNE 3, 10:00AM. TREE WALK – CONNECTICUT TRAILS DAY
Free – Reservations Encouraged
Arborist John Kehoe leads this walk featuring Cedar Hill Cemetery’s rare and notable trees. The tour, through the ornamental foreground and historic memorial sections, will highlight trees such as the beautiful European Weeping Beech, the unusual (for the Northeast) Umbrella Magnolia, and the Huss Hemlock named for a resident of Cedar Hill. The Tree Walk is part of Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s Trails Day Weekend. A nationwide initiative, Trails Day encourages the public to explore the great outdoors. Admission to the program is free.
Registration begins on May 10 on Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s website, https://trailsday.org/events/cedar-hill-tree-walk/.
JUNE 10, 10:00AM. NOTABLE ARCHITECTS
Admission: $10.00, Cedar Hill & Hartford Preservation Alliance Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Mary Falvey, Director of Hartford Preservation Alliance, shares the life and times of prominent Hartford architects on this walking tour of the historic cemetery. She will highlight the buildings and homes designed by notable architects including Walter P. Crabtree, Edward Hapgood, William Scoville and more. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation and Hartford Preservation Alliance members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
JUNE 21, 10:00AM. PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Learn about transportation history, including planes, trains, and automobiles, through the stories of Cedar Hill Cemetery residents. Meet a famed barnstormer, pioneering train engineer, early auto enthusiast, railroad tycoon and more. Bill MacDonnell leads this tour of the historic cemetery.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
July 2023
JULY 8, 10:00AM. MARK TWAIN’S COMPANIONS & COHORTS
Admission: $10.00; Cedar Hill & Mark Twain Museum Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
While Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, is laid to rest in Elmira, New York, many of his Hartford companions and cohorts are interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Learn about Twain’s life and his many Nook Farm friends, neighbors, and colleagues during this tour led by Steve Courtney.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
JULY 19, 10:00AM. ARTS & LETTERS
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Meet Cedar Hill’s creative residents including the cemetery’s most distinguished artists, actors, and authors. Hear about lesser-known personalities such as Nicholas Hudson Holt, Fern Andra, and Frances Laughlin Wadsworth, as well as the noteworthy William Glackens, Wallace Stevens, and Katharine Hepburn. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
JULY 21, 6:00PM. MUSIC AMONG THE MEMORIALS
Free for All, (Rain Date: Saturday, July 22, 6:00 pm)
Enjoy an evening of music with The Jolly Beggars. The popular Connecticut-based band brings the rich tradition of Celtic folk music and storytelling to modern day audiences. Characterized by their tight harmonies and use of guitars, mandolin, tin whistles, octave mandolin, mandola, tenor banjo, double bass, spoons, and more, The Jolly Beggars enjoy an enthusiastic following along the East Coast. Bring blankets, chairs, and picnic dinners for a night to remember. The concert will be held on the sprawling lawn between the Garden and Cedar Mausoleums. This free event is made possible through the generous support of the Evelyn W. Preston Memorial Trust Fund, Bank of America, N. A., Trustee.
For more info and schedule of events visit www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
JULY 22, 10:00 AMSAM & ELIZABETH’S WORLD – THE COLTS AT CEDAR HILL
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Elizabeth Colt erected one of the first major monuments at Cedar Hill Cemetery, one of her many efforts to commemorate her husband Sam’s legacy in Connecticut’s capital city. Foundation Director Beverly Lucas will introduce you to Colt family members now residing at Cedar Hill as well as friends and associates of the influential couple. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
August 2023
AUGUST 10, 6:30PM. SUNSET NOTABLES TOUR
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Discover the history and beauty of Cedar Hill Cemetery on this tour showcasing some of its most celebrated residents and renowned monuments. Highlights include General Griffin Stedman, Gilbert Heublein, John Pierpont Morgan, and Katharine Hepburn. Participants will enjoy watching the sun set over Cedar Mountain during the walk. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
AUGUST 12, 10:00AM. THE PROSECUTION RESTS
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
From the assassination of President Garfield to the crimes that inspired the movie Arsenic and Old Lace, Foundation Director Beverly Lucas shares intriguing stories of sensational trials, tragic crimes, and even one unsolved mystery, all of which gripped the imagination of Connecticut residents. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
AUGUST 16, 10:00AM. A MONUMENTAL MAN: THE ART OF JAMES BATTERSON
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
James Batterson, owner of New England Granite Works, played a key role in the establishment of Cedar Hill Cemetery. Monuments attributed to his prolific company are scattered throughout the cemetery. Lou Golden highlights some of Batterson’s most extraordinary work including the Colt, Heublein, and Keney memorials on this walking tour. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
AUGUST 24, 7:30PM. CINEMA AT THE CEMETERY: BRINGING UP BABY
Free for All, (Rain Date: Thursday, August 31, 7:30 pm)
Join us for the popular screwball comedy, Bringing Up Baby, starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. A mild-mannered paleontology professor and a flighty heiress and her pet leopard, Baby, will make you laugh with their series of misadventures. Bring a blanket or chair and your favorite candy for a movie under the stars. The movie will be shown on an outdoor screen on the sprawling lawn between the Garden and Cedar Mausoleums.
For more info and schedule of events visit www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
AUGUST 26, 10:00AM. MUSHROOM WALK
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Join Joe Lenoce of Connecticut Valley Mycological Society in search of mushrooms at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Joe will discuss the basic types of fungi, where to find them, and proper methods of collecting. Participants will then head out to search for mushrooms in the ornamental foreground. The program concludes with Joe reviewing documentation resources while identifying any fungi collected. Appropriate shoes and basket or paper bag for collecting recommended.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
September 2023
SEPTEMBER 9, 10:00AM – 12:00PM. MYSTERY SCAVENGER HUNT
Admission: $10.00 per person – Reservations Required
Explore Cedar Hill Cemetery while deciphering creative clues that direct you around the historic sections of the cemetery. Teams of up to four people each compete in the hunt. Once teams have collected all the clues, it’s time to solve the mystery. It’s a race to the finish, as prizes (and bragging rights) will be awarded to teams who solve the mystery the fastest. The entry fee is $10.00 per person.
Advance reservations are required and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
SEPTEMBER 20, 10:00AM. COLLEGE TIES – HARTFORD’S TRINITY COLLEGE
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Founded in 1823, Trinity was the second college established in Connecticut. Starting at the final resting place of principal founder and first president Bishop Thomas Church Brownell, the tour introduces you to Trinity alumni, faculty, and benefactors who now reside at Cedar Hill. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
SEPTEMBER 23, 10:00AM. REMARKABLE WOMEN
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Meet the extraordinary women of Cedar Hill Cemetery who inspire with their stories of purpose and engagement, compassion and generosity, and strength and determination. Debbie Alter introduces you to Virginia Thrall Smith, Isabella Beecher Hooker, Anne Tracy Morgan and more.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
October 2023
OCTOBER 14, 10:00AM. FALL FOLIAGE TOUR
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
More than 2,000 trees representing 100 species and varieties grace the grounds of Cedar Hill Cemetery. John Kehoe leads this autumn walk highlighting a colorful sampling of the remarkable collection including maples, cherries, beeches, pines, cedars and more. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
OCTOBER 18, 10:00AM. ANGELS AMONG US
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Learn about the angels and allegorical figures that grace the landscape of Cedar Hill Cemetery. From the angel Gabriel to representations of Faith, Hope, and Memory, Foundation Director Beverly Lucas will acquaint you with the figural monuments in the historic cemetery. Admission to the program is $10.00 and free for Cedar Hill Cemetery Foundation members. Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
OCTOBER 21, 10:00AM. HARTFORD IN THE GILDED AGE
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Learn about Hartford’s Victorian heyday on this new walking tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery. When prominent insurance companies, innovative factories, Bushnell Park, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford High, and the newly-established Cedar Hill Cemetery reflected the capital city’s 19th-century grandeur. Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
OCTOBER 27, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM. HALLOWED HISTORY LANTERN TOUR
Admission: $20.00; Reservations Required
History comes alive on this lantern-led tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery. Character actors share tantalizing true stories from some of the historic cemetery’s notable and not-so-notable residents. Admission to the event is $20.00. Reservations are required for a specific tour time. Tickets go on sale September 1 and may be purchased online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.