Springwood Cemetery — Attraction in Greenville

Veteran's Day weekend is an interesting time to visit a cemetery in the South, especially in South Carolina. As you may recall, South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union and fought for the Confederacy. As such, you'll find a large number of Confederate soldiers laid to rest here in Springwood. And since it's Veteran's Day weekend, those graves are marked with Confederate flags. It's... interesting.

The historical marker here tells more history. On the front, "Begun in 1812 as a single grave in a family rose garden, this was a private burial ground before being deeded to the City of Greenville and opened to the public in 1829. Its founder was Chancellor Waddy Thompson, Sr. The name "Springwood Cemetery" came into use in the 1870s and likely refers to a nearby natural spring. The landscape was formally laid out in 1876 and designed by architect Gottfried Norman."

And on the reverse, "Springfield Cemetery is one of the oldest municipal graveyards in the state. More than 10,000 people are buried here, a quarter of them in unmarked graves. Occupants range from prominent Upstate leaders to Greenvillians of more modest stations, a diversity reflected in the variety of ornamentation used to mark the cemetery's gravesites. Springwood was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2005."

The cemetery is in pristine condition. The lanes are easily walkable, the grass is clipped and the greenery is maintained very well. This is a lovely cemetery and worth a visit as it's located very close to the...

Hauntingly beautiful. I've been going to see all 88 Greenville National Register of Historic Places landmarks and Springwood is one of the oldest on the list. It was almost like going back in time while riding through the cemetery. I've driven past it many times but, this was my first time entering. Old grave markers, some in much worse shape than others while, some are identified and many unknown. As you enter the main gate on the right are 80 unknown solider tombstones from the Civil War era. There are several commemorative markers and plaques throughout the...

For a historical cemetery, this one was a good one. Some in the South are not very well maintained and some are updated to the point of looking relatively new. This one maintains the sense of history quite nicely.

I visited on a rainy day and the steps and walkways were surprisingly safe to walk on.

Most of the monuments were legible and many told a sad tale when looking at the ages of the deceased.

If you appreciate old cemeteries and local history, this one is...