Spring Hill Cemetery

Spring Hill Cemetery was dedicated as the Charleston's municipal cemetery in 1869, a response to the city's old burial grounds running out of space. Spring Hill is nestled on a hilltop that overlooks the city of Charleston and includes around 175 acres of land with thousands of graves. The cemetery also features a section for Civil War soldiers and hosts the resting places of many notable figures from Charleston.

Spring Hill Cemetery was designed by civil engineer, A.J. Vosburg in 1869. He completed the original Old Circle section of Spring Hill which was Victorian inspired. This portion of the cemetery featured geometric patterns which allowed the cemetery to double up as a park. Prior to its dedication as the city's municipal cemetery, Spring Hill was a family graveyard. In the 1860s, Charleston's first cemetery rested next to the Kanawha River up near the old Kanawha Turnpike. It was a small lot that had filled up quickly. So, the city turned its eyes to Spring Hill which featured hundreds of acres of land.

The cemetery features an assortment of unique monuments that tell the tale of the settlement of the Kanawha Valley. Some monuments appear to have a Neo-Egyptian Revival style while other graves feature elaborately carved headstones. There are also mausoleums that echoe Moorish architecture.

The graveyard's most notable feature is the section dedicated to Civil War soldiers. There are sections for those who fought for the Union, the Confederate, as well as unidentified soldiers that were recently found buried in Spring Hill. This cemetery has become the largest cemetery in the state of West Virginia and has graves that are dated back to the 1830s. The older graves are located in the Old Circle.

The cemetery also hosts a variety of recreational activities. People come from across the state to observe patterns in bird migration. It's also become an area for locals to walk through and enjoy scenic views of Charleston.

Spring Hill Cemetery and Park , CharlestonWV. Accessed July 30th 2020. https://www.charlestonwv.gov/government/city-departments/springhill-cemetery.

Spring Hill Cemetery, eWV. August 18th 2016. Accessed July 29th 2020. https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/539.