John Chislett, cemetery superintendent of Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh who had previously laid out Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne in 1859, came to Indianapolis to assist in laying out the new cemetery. 240 acres were purchased, and Chislett’s son Frederick was brought in to oversee the development of the cemetery grounds.
Chislett laid out the grounds according to the “modern style of improvement in cemeteries” made popular by the design of Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Boston. Crown Hill’s curvilinear roadways defined irregularly shaped burial sections. The drives and other improvements responded to the site’s topographic features. A prominent hill became the centerpiece of the design. Crown Hill Cemetery was dedicated in June, 1864, and burials soon commenced. The Cemetery landscape includes aspects of Rural, Lawn Park, and Memorial styles of 19th and 20th century cemetery landscape design.