The entrance to Laurel Hill is on Ridge Avenue, the street that forms one long boundary for the cemetery. Opposite Ridge Avenue is the natural boundary of the Schuylkill River, which Laurel Hill overlooks. Kelly Drive runs along the Schuylkill at the base of the cemetery. Founded in 1836 and designed by Scottish architect John Notman, this was the nation's second major rural cemetery. With its rolling landscape, horticultural plantings, and eclectic architecture, it offered a romantic alternative to crowded urban environment. Overlooking the Schuylkill River, 3.5 miles north of center city, it had grown by 1861 to 78 acres. This cemetery was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998.