Springwood Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest municipal cemetery in the state and has approximately 7,700 marked, and 2,600 unmarked, graves.[2]
The first burial in what today is Springwood Cemetery occurred in July 1812, after Elizabeth Blackburn Williams (1752–1812), the mother-in-law of prominent early Greenvillian Chancellor Waddy Thompson, expressed a desire to be buried in the family garden. Many other burials occurred in the area after Thompson sold 60 acres of his property to one Francis H. McLeod in 1817. In 1829 McLeod opened the private graveyard to the public, and in 1833, he conveyed a tract of land to the city for use as a cemetery. The city acquired additional acres during the 1870s, and the last five acres of the cemetery were purchased before 1944.[3] Presumably the cemetery was named for a spring that was once included in, or was just beyond, its boundaries.[4]
The 200-year-old cemetery includes "a comprehensive collection of gravemarker types," including field stones, raised masonry tombs topped with stone ledgers, Victorian monoliths, and Veterans Administration markers. Eighty unknown Confederate soldiers are buried near the entrance, presumably soldiers who died of wounds or disease after being removed to one of the two Greenville buildings used for hospitals during the Civil War.[5]
Springwood retains its rural cemetery design elements and the 1876 landscape planning of prominent New South architect G. L. Norrman. The entrance gate, designed by local architect James Lawrence and built of Indiana limestone, was completed in 1914.[6][7] Just outside the Main Street entrance, in its own pocket park, is a Confederate monument that from 1891 to 1923 stood in the middle of Main Street.[8]
The northeast corner of the cemetery, which was used as a potter's field for African Americans and indigent whites has perhaps only a dozen remaining headstones, although the area is believed to contain hundreds of graves. In 1969 the City of Greenville extended Academy Street through this section and removed the remains of approximately 250 to 275 people.[9]
Although burials continue, no new plots have been sold since the 1970s. The city of Greenville contributes to the maintenance of the cemetery, but there is no perpetual care fund, and the graves themselves remain private property. A "Friends of Springwood Cemetery" organization was formed in 2002 to raise awareness of cemetery needs.[10]
^The cemetery has also been known as Elford Cemetery, the Old Graveyard, and the Old Village Burial Ground. The cemetery's interment locator lists more than 300 "unknown" markers, many of them Confederate soldiers but also some stones so weathered as to be unreadable. Poignantly, one stone reads "Two little children names unknown found in old vault 1912." By the 21st century not only were the children's names unknown but also the identity of the vault or who might have removed them from it. Amy Clarke Burns,"Q&Amy: Children's Grave is a cemetery mystery," Greenville News, July 3, 2015, 3A.
^Ward, 29–30. There is no evidence that Francis McLeod was buried in the cemetery. It is also unclear why at a time when most families had cemetery plots of their own and the nearly adjoining churchyard of Christ Episcopal Church was "remarkably ecumenical" in its burial practices that "a village of 750 people needed two cemeteries within a tenth of a mile of each other." Judith Bainbridge, "Churchyard abounds in curious mysteries," Greenville News, City People, September 24, 2014, 2–3.
^NRHP Registration Form, 6. Today the spring, nicknamed the "Thank God for Water Spring," is outside the cemetery.
^Ward, 35; Archie Vernon Huff, Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1995), 139. Some monuments have unusual stories, as for instance the angel that marks the grave of Fannie Heldman, who committed suicide on January 1, 1889. Judy Bainbridge, "Harness maker George Heldman," Greenville News, April 14, 2016, 4D.
^Bainbridge, Judy (May 15, 2021). "Grew, declined, grew again: How Springwood Cemetery took shape at the edge of downtown". Greenville News. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
^Ward, 7–10. Though the monument seriously impeded traffic, veterans and the Daughters of the Confederacy objected to moving it. "Acting quickly one September morning in 1922, council ordered the statue moved. They learned at noon that opponents were seeking a restraining order. Before it could be served, they whisked the statue from its pedestal and hid it in a barn on Paris Mountain." Not until after a ruling by the state Supreme Court in July 1924, and prolonged negotiations with the DAR and veterans, was the statue relocated. Judy Bainbridge, "Controversial Move in 1922," Greenville News, June 19, 2017, 2A.
^"Downtown's Springwood, Richland cemeteries face challenges with little money,"Greenville News, May 26, 2013.
Further reading/external linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Springwood Cemetery.
Lucile Parrish Ward, God's Little Acre on Main Street: Springwood Cemetery (Greenville, SC: A Press, 2003)
Masterplan for Springwood and Richland Cemeteries (2003)
Springwood Cemetery Interment Locator
October 21, 2023
springwood, cemetery, historic, cemetery, greenville, south, carolina, listed, national, register, historic, places, oldest, municipal, cemetery, state, approximately, marked, unmarked, graves, national, register, historic, places, main, gate, 1914, show, sout. Springwood Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Greenville South Carolina listed on the National Register of Historic Places It is the oldest municipal cemetery in the state and has approximately 7 700 marked and 2 600 unmarked graves 2 Springwood CemeteryU S National Register of Historic PlacesSpringwood Cemetery Main Gate 1914 Show map of South CarolinaShow map of the United StatesLocation400 North Main Street Greenville South CarolinaCoordinates34 51 18 N 82 23 46 W 34 85500 N 82 39611 W 34 85500 82 39611Area30 acres 12 ha ArchitectG L NorrmanNRHP reference No 05001156 1 Added to NRHPOctober 4 2005The first burial in what today is Springwood Cemetery occurred in July 1812 after Elizabeth Blackburn Williams 1752 1812 the mother in law of prominent early Greenvillian Chancellor Waddy Thompson expressed a desire to be buried in the family garden Many other burials occurred in the area after Thompson sold 60 acres of his property to one Francis H McLeod in 1817 In 1829 McLeod opened the private graveyard to the public and in 1833 he conveyed a tract of land to the city for use as a cemetery The city acquired additional acres during the 1870s and the last five acres of the cemetery were purchased before 1944 3 Presumably the cemetery was named for a spring that was once included in or was just beyond its boundaries 4 The 200 year old cemetery includes a comprehensive collection of gravemarker types including field stones raised masonry tombs topped with stone ledgers Victorian monoliths and Veterans Administration markers Eighty unknown Confederate soldiers are buried near the entrance presumably soldiers who died of wounds or disease after being removed to one of the two Greenville buildings used for hospitals during the Civil War 5 Springwood retains its rural cemetery design elements and the 1876 landscape planning of prominent New South architect G L Norrman The entrance gate designed by local architect James Lawrence and built of Indiana limestone was completed in 1914 6 7 Just outside the Main Street entrance in its own pocket park is a Confederate monument that from 1891 to 1923 stood in the middle of Main Street 8 The northeast corner of the cemetery which was used as a potter s field for African Americans and indigent whites has perhaps only a dozen remaining headstones although the area is believed to contain hundreds of graves In 1969 the City of Greenville extended Academy Street through this section and removed the remains of approximately 250 to 275 people 9 Although burials continue no new plots have been sold since the 1970s The city of Greenville contributes to the maintenance of the cemetery but there is no perpetual care fund and the graves themselves remain private property A Friends of Springwood Cemetery organization was formed in 2002 to raise awareness of cemetery needs 10 Notable Interments EditMartin Frederick Ansel 89th Governor of South Carolina Charles R Attwood pediatrician promoter of vegetarianism John Dickson Carr mystery writer Charles E Daniel construction company executive and interim U S Senator John D Hollingsworth textile machinery executive and philanthropist Butch Lindley NASCAR driver Basil Manly Sr Baptist clergyman and educator John J McSwain U S Representative Roger C Peace newspaper publisher and interim U S Senator Notes Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 The cemetery has also been known as Elford Cemetery the Old Graveyard and the Old Village Burial Ground The cemetery s interment locator lists more than 300 unknown markers many of them Confederate soldiers but also some stones so weathered as to be unreadable Poignantly one stone reads Two little children names unknown found in old vault 1912 By the 21st century not only were the children s names unknown but also the identity of the vault or who might have removed them from it Amy Clarke Burns Q amp Amy Children s Grave is a cemetery mystery Greenville News July 3 2015 3A Ward 29 30 There is no evidence that Francis McLeod was buried in the cemetery It is also unclear why at a time when most families had cemetery plots of their own and the nearly adjoining churchyard of Christ Episcopal Church was remarkably ecumenical in its burial practices that a village of 750 people needed two cemeteries within a tenth of a mile of each other Judith Bainbridge Churchyard abounds in curious mysteries Greenville News City People September 24 2014 2 3 NRHP Registration Form 6 Today the spring nicknamed the Thank God for Water Spring is outside the cemetery Ward 35 Archie Vernon Huff Greenville The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont Columbia University of South Carolina Press 1995 139 Some monuments have unusual stories as for instance the angel that marks the grave of Fannie Heldman who committed suicide on January 1 1889 Judy Bainbridge Harness maker George Heldman Greenville News April 14 2016 4D NRHP Registration Form 11 12 Bainbridge Judy May 15 2021 Grew declined grew again How Springwood Cemetery took shape at the edge of downtown Greenville News Retrieved May 16 2021 Ward 7 10 Though the monument seriously impeded traffic veterans and the Daughters of the Confederacy objected to moving it Acting quickly one September morning in 1922 council ordered the statue moved They learned at noon that opponents were seeking a restraining order Before it could be served they whisked the statue from its pedestal and hid it in a barn on Paris Mountain Not until after a ruling by the state Supreme Court in July 1924 and prolonged negotiations with the DAR and veterans was the statue relocated Judy Bainbridge Controversial Move in 1922 Greenville News June 19 2017 2A Ward 80 The remains were moved to Pinedale Memorial Park in Piedmont South Carolina Downtown s Springwood Richland cemeteries face challenges with little money Greenville News May 26 2013 Further reading external links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Springwood Cemetery Lucile Parrish Ward God s Little Acre on Main Street Springwood Cemetery Greenville SC A Press 2003 Masterplan for Springwood and Richland Cemeteries 2003 Springwood Cemetery Interment Locator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Springwood Cemetery amp oldid 1177398328, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
