Friends of Riverside Cemetery

Who We Are

Riverside Cemetery was dedicated in 1853 along the west bank of the Naugatuck River near the center of Waterbury. It was laid out in a rural landscape design with winding paths, ponds and ornamental plantings. Set into this landscape are the striking monuments cast in bronze and stone of the industrialists, political leaders, inventors and men and women who changed the region and the nation.
Riverside and its Hall Memorial Chapel were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Hall Memorial Chapel is a beautiful granite structure completed in 1885 with a donation from Samuel W. Hall. Mr. Hall also funded the construction of Trinity Episcopal Church on Prospect Street which was demolished in 2019 because its owners could no longer afford its maintenance. Friends of Riverside is working to avoid that same ignoble ending for Hall Memorial.

Hall Chapel is in dire need of repair. Its end gable walls are pulling away from the structure allowing water to damage the interior and exterior masonry. There is significant bulging to the blocks in the steeple, putting it at risk of collapse.

Friends of Riverside is working with an engineering firm with extensive experience in historic preservation. We are seeking federal, state and private grants for this major rehabilitation project. We are also planning fundraisers to bring people into Riverside to learn its history and enjoy its quiet beauty. Friends of Riverside is also asking for support from its community and its residents to help us save this important landmark.