Hi Natalie,
We cooperated in research at the Insane Asylum several years ago. There is a memorial
cemetery of sorts that has plastic numbered grave markers (small plaques- no headstones)
and a wall that identifies some of the marked graves. It is located outside the western
fence of the Central State property on the west side of Tibbs Avenue, just south of Mount
Jackson cemetery.
This is probably not where all of the patients were actually buried though; in my opinion
it appears to be more of a memorial site than an actual burial grounds. We know that
another cemetery existed in the northwest corner of the Central State property (east side
of Tibbs Avenue at Vermont Street). This one is no longer marked in any way; although it
did show up on early Indianapolis maps.
The Indiana Medical History Museum that Kyle mentioned is located on the Central State
property and definitely worth a visit if you're planning on visiting the cemetery.
Regards,
Rich Green
Historic Archaeological Research
4338 Hadley Court
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Office: (765) 464-8735
Mobile: (765) 427-4082
www.har-indy.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Natalie Robling
To: INPCRP-L(a)rootsweb.com
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 5:42 PM
Subject: [INPCRP] old cemetery-Indianapolis
Hi,
Hope someone can help me. A friend of mine had a relative that died at
the Central State Hospital in Indianapols, IN in 1868. My friend has the
actual written record of this from the hospital administrator. The
record goes on to say he was buried on the grounds.
I have a history of the hospital but the cemetery was not mentioned.
Does anyone know if the cemetery still exists? Are there tombstones? Is
there a list of those buried there and where would it be?
Natalie Robling
==== INPCRP Mailing List ====
THIS IS A CEMETERY -----
"Lives are commemorated - deaths are recorded - families
are reunited - memories are made tangible - and love is
undisguised. This is a cemetery.
"Communities accord respect, families bestow reverence,
historians seek information and our heritage is thereby enriched.
"Testimonies of devotion, pride and remembrance are carved
in stone to pay warm tribute to accomplishments and to the life -
not the death - of a loved one. The cemetery is homeland for family
memorials that are a sustaining source of comfort to the living.
"A cemetery is a history of people - a perpetual record of
yesterday and sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery
exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always."
--Author unknown -- Seen at a monument dealer in West Union, IA