In 1839 the village of Pontiac hired Captain Hervey Parke to survey the parcel and lay out a lot as a cemetery.

[2] Over time, more land was allocated to the cemetery until it reached its present size by about the turn of the century.

Various improvements were made over the years, including replacing the original cemetery office, which burned, and adding the gate and fencing.

[2] The Oak Hill Cemetery is located on a section of high, sloping ground east of downtown Pontiac.

[2] The cemetery office, a single story, front-gable structure of rock-face fieldstone, is located on the south side of University.