Opened in 1857, Myrtle Hill Cemetery is one of three cemeteries in Rome, Georgia, that sits on top of a hill to avoid potential flooding from nearby rivers, the Etowah and Oostanaula. The cemetery got its name from the creeping myrtle that covered the cemetery.

There were several Civil War battles in and around Rome, which necessitated the use of Myrtle Hill as a Confederate burial ground. Additionally, there were hospitals to take care of the sick and wounded, so many of those soldiers were buried in the Confederate section of Myrtle Hill.

The cemetery consists of several plateaus (terraces) to create the layered wedding cake design of the roads and sections of the cemeteries. The highest point in the cemetery is known as Crown Point.