[1] The original 5 acres (2.0 ha) of the cemetery was purchased from Samuel and Mary Bell on November 1 of that year.

Joseph Pershing served as the first Sexton, and the cemetery was placed under the direction of a board of trustees.

Now known as Riverside Cemetery it began to expand to the south on property purchased from various landowners.

At this time William Le Baron Jenney, a prominent Chicago urban planner and architect, designed the hilly 94 acres (38 ha) section of the cemetery.

The Greek Revival style structure is built of #1 Peerless Buff stone.