Those who regularly visit Zion Hill Cemetery see that gravestones there are routinely toppled and destroyed. Unlike Cedar Hill Cemetery, where visitors are frequent and staff are visible, Zion Hill does not get nearly that level of care and attention throughout the year, despite being a fraction of Cedar Hill’s size and having a police substation opposite one corner. Gates remain open after hours.
What is thought of as one cemetery between Zion, Ward, Affleck, and Allen is actually a patchwork of various cemeteries. The City of Hartford maintains some of this; the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford’s Association of Jewish Cemeteries maintains the
various other cemeteries found here.
An effort has been underway for over a year to create a master plan for these burial grounds, a task that has involved determining which entities control which spaces. The current plan includes fence improvements. This would also standardize the type of fence material used. Right now, chain link and barbed wire are found on the grounds, giving this a less-than-peaceful appearance while apparently doing little to deter crime, such as vandalism.
The plan, which is still in the works, also includes repairing monuments, enhancing pedestrian gateways, removing invasive species, repairing asphalt, and pruning and removing some trees. The total expected cost for improvements at Zion Hill Cemetery: $1,455,000. The Department of Public Works has been working with the Frog Hollow NRZ and will bring these plans before the Historic Commission and Planning & Zoning Commission.
The plan can be viewed here:
Justin
Beautiful cemetery with a nice view of downtown.
Would be nice to increase the permeability of the cemetery during daytime hours, as this plan proposes. Right now there’s only a main entrance and a “sneak spot” down to Summitt Road towards the top, as far as I know.
Chris Brown
Agreed. There is one more informal entrance along Zion just north of the Summit Street intersection, but it’s pretty steep.
Kerri Provost
There are four entrances on Affleck Street, only one of which had its gate closed after midnight last night/this morning. Lots of unfettered access, low-lighting, and little in the way of site supervision.