Bay Path Cemetery is the almshouse cemetery and was the city farm cemetery. It is the potters field of Springfield and that is one of its many names – Springfield Potters Field. It is also called the City Farm Cemetery and the Almshouse Burial Ground. It is on Blunt Park Road close to Roosevelt Avenue or in other words close to the entrance of the park. The burial ground is in the park itself. It started about 1873 and ended most burials in 1930. This is since the almshouse was taken down then but also since cremations of paupers became more common. In 1926 the name was changed to Bay Path Cemetery. The cemetery was finally dedicated as such in 1933 (June 7).
Death certificate will read death at the City Home Hospital and burial at the Almshouse. Hospital was at 1400 State Street. There are numbered pins (from the year 1932). in this cemetery but no gravestone inscriptions. There are 896 burials here. Last burial was in 1951 and cemetery closed in 1954. It started in the aforementioned year since in 1873 the Almshouse and Farm opened. The first burial here was on December 12 1873. Some of the burials made before 1875 were outside the area of the city farm and these were soon moved to within the burials ground. There are three crypts within the cemetery where stillborn babies have been placed. Each of these crypts can hold 1000 burials.
In 1981, a new gate, crypt cover, sign, and 10 trees were added.
Bay Path Cemetery
1873 – 1954
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
Matt. 5:3
Rededicated 1981 Springfield Historical Society
