Springdale Cemetery, founded in 1857, was part of the Rural Cemetery Movement that took cemeteries out of the control of the church and created non-denominational, architecturally designed burial places that were also attractive parks with ponds, forests, roads and paths that followed the natural contours of the land and nurtured native and exotic trees and plants. Before the widespread development of public parks, these cemeteries provided a place for all the people to enjoy refined outdoor recreation amidst art and sculpture previously available only for the wealthy
