THE TOMBSTONE TOURIST VISITS - CROWN HILL MEMORIAL PARK

CROWN HILL CHAPEL

In March of 2013, while on the way to the NCAA Basketball Tournament in Kansas City, I stopped off in Indianapolis and spent some time at Crown Hill Memorial Park.  At over 500- acres, Crown Hill is Indiana's largest cemetery and the third largest non-government cemetery in the United States.  Before arriving I downloaded and print a cemetery map, but it was still very difficult to located particular graves. There are three United States Vice Presidents resting at Crown Hill, but I was able to locate on the grave of Charles Fairbanks, who served as Vice President under Teddy Roosevelt.

Vice President Charles Fairbanks

Fairbanks was elected as the 26th Vice President in 1904 and was the first vice president to serve an entire 4-year term without be called upon to case any tie-breaking votes as President of the Senate. Fairbanks also was an opponent of President Roosevelt's "Square Deal" and did not perform any significant role in the Administration and chose not to seek reelection. After leaving office in 1909, he returned to Indianapolis where he practiced law until he fell victim to ill-health. Charles Fairbanks died at his home on June 4, 1918

President Benjamin Harrison

Probably the most famous grave in Crown Hill is that of Benjamin Harrison, who served as the 23rd President of the United State. Harrison served as President from 1889-1893. He was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison and the great-grandson of Benjamin Harrison V, who signed the Declaration of Independence and succeeded Thomas Jefferson as Governor of Virginia. Following his term as president, he returned to his home in Indianapolis where he died on March 13, 1901 at the age of 67.

Robert Irsay

Just a short distance from the rave of President Harrison is the grave of Robert Irsay, who was the owner of Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts.  Irsay remains the most hated man in Baltimore because of his decision to move the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis. During the early morning hours of March 29, 1984, Irsay loaded of the teams property into 15 Mayflower Moving Vans and left Baltimore for Indianapolis. The City of Baltimore never forgot and to this day many residents curse his memory.

James Whitcomb Riley

At the top of the hill above the Irsay grave is probably the largest grave monument in the Cemetery, which marks the grave of James Whitcomb Riley, who is best known as the creator of "Little Orphan Annie."  Riley's grave is located at the highest point in Crown Hill and afford visitors a grand view of the Indianapolis skyline.

Cannonball Baker

I actually stumbled on the grave of  Erwin "Cannonball" Baker while looking for the grave of gangster John Dillinger.  "Cannonball" Baker made 143 separate cross-country motorcycle speed runs across the United States and set a number of record including riding coast to coast in 1914 on an Indian Motorcycle in 11-days. His cross country runs are thought to have totaled more the 550,000 miles. "Cannonball Baker" died of a heart attack on May 10, 1960 at the age of 78.

My final stop in Crown Hill Cemetery was at the grave of John Herbert Dillinger.  Located in Section 44, the Dillinger grave is probably one of the most visited graves in the cemetery.  John Dillinger was one of the most well known of the depression era gangsters, that included the likes of Bonnie and Clyde, "Pretty Boy" Floyd and "Machine Gun" Kelly. During the years of the Great Depression The Dillinger Gang was accused of robbing 24-banks and he was known to have escaped jail twice. Throughout his criminal career, Dillinger was never convicted of murder.

John Dillinger

John Dillinger's career came to a violent end on July 22, 1934 when he and his escort Ana Sage (the famed lady in red) attended a movie at the Biograph in Chicago. Unknown to Dillinger, Sage had tipped off the FBI that she and Dillinger would be attending the movie. The two were seen entering the theater at about 8:30 p.m. and FBI Agents lead by Melvin Purvis waited outside for the gangster and his escort to exit.

Ignoring commands to surrender, Dillinger chose to shoot it out with the agents and died of gun shot wounds in a nearby alley.  Dillinger's body was taken to the Cook County Morgue and put on public display.  As many as 15,000 people are believed to have viewed the gangsters body.  John Dillinger was eventually buried here in Crown Hill Cemetery.  His gravestone has been replaced several times because vandals and souvenirs hunters.

Over all I spent about two and a half hours and managed to visit only a few of the more notable graves. If I am ever back in Indianapolis I plan to return to Crown Hill but for now I must move on.
Here is a short video that  I shot during my visit to Crown Hill Memorial Park.