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

In 1812, Elizabeth Blackburn Williams was the first person to be buried in 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.