city of greenville culture
Springwood Cemetery
Nestled
in the heart of downtown Greenville, Springwood Cemetery fronts on North Main
Street and is bordered by Academy Street, Church Street and Elford Street. It is
known for its beauty, landscape, and rich history. The cemetery is the resting
place for many of Greenville’s most prominent citizens. However, the cemetery is
not simply a memorial to great names, for it is the resting place of more than
10,000 mortal beings from all walks of life, with approximately 2,600 graves
with no headstones. The great variety of monuments in the cemetery commemorate
the famous as well as the “now forgotten,” making it a compelling lesson in
Greenville’s history.
Springwood Cemetery, only one acre in size at the time, was first opened to the
public for burial in 1829. The original South Carolina grant on which Springwood
Cemetery stands was a grant in 1784 to James Hamilton. Less than one month
later, John Timmons received a grant of 473 acres, which included the land on
which the present‑day cemetery is located. The overflow of a spring once passed
through the cemetery, for which it is believed the cemetery was named n what
later became a small family burial ground for her daughter and son‑in‑law,
Elizabeth Blackburn Thompson and Waddy Thompson. From these beginnings grew the
larger Springwood Cemetery as we know it today.
In subsequent years, additional acreage was added, including a public section
for African Americans, dating back to before 1863.
Friends of Springwood Cemetery are committed to preserving the history and
beauty and raising awareness of the historical significance of the cemetery,
while raising funds for additional capital improvements needed to develop and
beautify the cemetery.
If you would like to make a donation to the Friends of Springwood Cemetery and
receive notices of Annual Meetings and special events, please complete a
membership form and return it by mail along with your donation.