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Oak Hill Cemetery was founded in 1850 and originally located along West Street. In 1865 the present grounds were purchased from Christoph Schroeder and opened for public burials.
Oak Hill Cemetery is a non-sectarian burial ground and is the final resting place for many pioneer settlers such as Timothy Johnson, the founder of Watertown, and his wife; John and Eliza Cole, early day benefactors of the city of Watertown; and John and Eliza Richards, builders and owners of the famous Octagon House Museum.
The cemetery is also home to many unique examples of tombstone architecture, such as cast iron stones, mausoleums, and even portraits carved into the tombstones. Many of these were carved by local craftsmen, such as Thomas McCabe. There is also an ornate holding vault carved into a rise as one enters the cemetery which was used to store coffins while the ground was frozen.
Oak Hill is the final resting place of many prominent Watertown people such as city founder Timothy Johnson, businessman John W. Cole, Octagon House builder John Richards and his family, Dr. John P. Quinney who was a Stockbridge Indian chief who died in 1875, pioneer historian Dr. William Whyte and brewer William Hartig.
The current Oak Hill Cemetery was opened in 1865. The first Oak Hill Cemetery was on the west side of town from 1850 to 1865; it was only one or two acres and located in a flood plain. Christoph Schroeder offered the land from his farm where the current cemetery is located. Traditionally cemeteries were placed on hillsides to avoid worry about flooding.”
St. Bernard’s Cemetery is the city’s oldest, dating back to 1845, but it was not the first. The first was Watertown Cemetery where the Luther Prep playing field is located. It opened in 1840 and was condemned in 1947.
The cemetery is located on 1540 East Main Street, Watertown, Jefferson County, Wisconsin.