Rosehill Cemetery

A Chicago cemetery for everyone

Chicago is a wonderful melting pot—families who live here come from every walk of life. Rosehill Cemetery is a non-denominational cemetery property and provides cemetery services for people of all traditions, cultures and religions. To serve our diverse community, we have sections dedicated to the Jewish and Muslim faiths, as well as the Greek, Romanian, Korean, Hispanic and Chinese cultures. We also have staff members who speak Spanish, Romanian, Ukrainian and Russian.

Many burial options available

We may be known for our historic Victorian-era monuments and markers, but we understand that today’s families have different wants and needs from those in the 1800s. At our expansive cemetery, we offer a variety of options to ensure that the final resting place you choose meets your family traditions, religious requirements and budget. We offer property for cremation, entombment or traditional burial, including lawn crypts, upright monuments, customized memorials, private and community mausoleums, cremation niches, hillside estates and terrace-level estates.

As cremation memorialization becomes increasingly popular, we strive to provide as many options as we can. Rosehill Cemetery has cremation memorial benches, niches, and columbaria. One of our most beautiful options is our glass-front niches in the mausoleum. Many families choose to personalize these niches with flowers, mementos, photographs and customized urns.

Funeral chapels offer convenience

We have 2 beautiful chapels available for memorial and committal services at Rosehill Cemetery, the May Chapel and the Hennig Chapel. Each provides a peaceful and reverent space to honor and celebrate life.

The May Chapel, the larger of the chapels, overlooks the cemetery’s scenic lake. It seats 120 people and features a traditional setup with pews and a podium. It also easily accommodates a catered gathering—and brides sometimes choose it for their weddings. It's that pretty! The smaller Hennig Chapel is in our mausoleum. The simple, elegant, church-like setting with pews holds about 65 people.

Both of our chapels are non-denominational and can be customized to suit your particular religion, culture or faith.

Lean on us

Rosehill Cemetery is located on the North Side of Chicago, in the North Ravenswood neighborhood, which is a short distance from Lake Michigan. We are easily accessible via I-94, I-90 and Route 14. For those traveling by air, we are a short drive from Chicago-Midway Airport and Chicago O’Hare. We invite you to stop by to meet our friendly associates and take a walking tour of our cemetery property.

We are proud to be a member of the Dignity Memorial® network of funeral, cremation and cemetery providers. When you choose Rosehill Cemetery, you get not only the compassionate care you expect from a locally operated establishment, but also the value you deserve from the largest network of cemetery providers in North America.

It is our honor to serve the Chicago community. Please call us if you need immediate assistance or if you would like more information about our cemetery services.

History

Dating back to 1859, Rosehill Cemetery is one of Chicago's famous historical cemeteries. It was incorporated on Feb. 11, 1859. If you visit on a weekend, you may see groups of people walking through the cemetery, looking at the historical Victorian-era monuments and enjoying the day.

Rosehill Cemetery comprises 350 acres of beautifully manicured grounds and is one of the older and larger cemeteries in Illinois. Our cemetery encompasses peaceful lakes, green gardens and decades of history.

An architectural gem: the Rosehill Cemetery Gatehouse

An architectural wonder, the Rosehill Cemetery Gatehouse dates back to 1864 and was designed by famed architect William Boyington, who also designed the Chicago Water Tower, one of the city’s most recognizable historical landmarks. In 1975, the castle Castellated Gothic arched entryway became a National Registered Historic Site. Unfortunately, many of the buildings designed by Boyington were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and the Gatehouse is one of the few Boyington pre-fire buildings that remain. The exterior of the Gatehouse is made of Joliet limestone block and stands out for its 3-story bell tower, turrets, battlements and Castellated Gothic lancet windows. It is a truly magnificent structure reminiscent of a medieval castle.

A cemetery for Civil War soldiers

Rosehill Cemetery is known for the many Civil War soldiers who are buried here. For history buffs, it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Civil War section of the cemetery sits near the entrance and pays tribute to the lives lost in this historic American war. Each of the burial sites is marked with the same marker and is a solemn reminder of our nation’s history. We offer a walking tour with a map of where Civil War soldiers are buried. Additionally, there are 3 services held every Memorial Day to commemorate these individuals, along with all of our war veterans.

Notable burials

Many notable Chicagoans, including a former vice president, many mayors, several governors, the founder of Sears and the founder of Montgomery Ward, are buried at Rosehill Cemetery. We offer a walking tour that includes a detailed map of the Chicago notables buried here. Of course, you don’t have to be a politician or start a department store to be interred in Rosehill—we welcome families of all backgrounds, cultures and religions.

Honoring veterans and military families

Rosehill Cemetery has a long history of working with the U.S. armed forces. One of the things that makes Rosehill unique is its many Civil War burials. We are well-versed in today's military funeral rituals and provide services for all branches of the military. We also have 3 services each Memorial Day to commemorate the veterans buried here. It includes a parade and draws thousands of people.

Because we believe that no member of the military should be denied a proper burial, we also participate in the Homeless Veterans Burial Program, which ensures that even veterans who have fallen on hard times get dignified burials and beautiful final resting places.

Active in the Chicago community

Rosehill Cemetery is active in the Chicago community. We host yearly celebrations for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Mother’s Day. We also welcome the community for holiday celebrations, including Ching-Ming and a December service in our May Chapel.