Springdale Cemetery preps for 200th anniversary with annual projects

The Springdale Cemetery Board of Directors is starting the celebration early for the cemetery’s 200th anniversary — in 2027.

Cub Scouts from Pack 554 and their parents volunteered their time Tuesday evening to begin the work of preparing for the occasion. They dug up dirt and planted about 500 daffodils at the cemetery. All the graves from Willow Street to just past the cemetery sign had bulbs planted by them.

Borland said it was nice to see the Cub Scouts help out because they’ll be able to see their work bloom next spring.

“They’re learning community service and taking time to plant flowers,” Borland said. “Hopefully, they’ll want to do it next year.”

Joan Mellon, a cemetery board member, said the project will honor all 2,000 people buried at the cemetery, located along School Street.

To ensure every grave has a bulb planted by it, 400 to 500 bulbs will be planted multiple times through each year up to 2027, Mellon said. She said the idea came from Susan Mellon Rearick, an association member.

”We are just trying to make sure no one here in 200 years are not forgotten,” Mellon said.

Paul Borland, another board member, said many of the people buried at the cemetery were born in the 1700s and 1800s. Many don’t have any surviving family members, he said.

Borland’s father, Robert, founded the board for the cemetery in 1982.

A helping hand from Phipps

The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens donated hundreds of daffodils and hyacinths from their spring flower show to help the cemetery start its initiative.

“It’s fantastic to see these blooms get a second life and for their beauty to spread beyond our glasshouse, and it’s an honor to help Springdale in this way as they celebrate such a momentous occasion,” said Joe Reed, Phipps’ director of marketing and communications.

Mellon said the conservatory plans to donate hundreds of bulbs to the cemetery each year leading up to the anniversary.

Borland said the board is open to any suggestions or ideas people may have to help commemorate the cemetery’s upcoming anniversary. The board meet every third Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Springdale United Presbyterian Church.

The board encourages the community to donate $50 or more to help continue to maintain the cemetery including gas expenses for the mower. For every $100 donation, Jim Yanni, a former board member, will match the donation.

”We are hoping we invest into this enough that someone else will be able to manage it for us,” Borland said.