The Cincinnati Crematory, also known as Hillside Chapel & Mausoleum, was founded in 1888 by master woodcarver Benjamin Pitman. Pitman saw the need for a crematory in the rapidly expanding city, and chose the site on the edge of Clifton for its sweeping views of the then-rural Mill Creek Valley. The original romanesque chapel structure was designed with gilded internment-niches, hand carved trim, detailed stained glass, and ornate plaster work.
The structure saw several expansions throughout the 20th century, and houses thousands of Rookwood Pottery burial urns (perhaps the largest Rookwood collection in existence). Prominent Cincinnatians were interred here such as Ruth Lyons and the Shillito Department Store family. The facility continues to operate after 135 years.
