Spring Lake Cemetery was incorporated under the name of The Aurora Cemetery Company February 13, 1865. The cemetery is rich in tradition, has close affiliation with the history of the lives and families who have made our non for-profit cemetery possible.

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The Corporators were, Edward R. Allen, William Hawkins, James G. Barr, Delos W. Young, Lorenzo D. Brady, William H. Miller, John H. Thompson, Charles C. Earle, Ira A.W. Buck, Isaac M. Howell, John H. Pease, Austin Mann, Richard G Montony, and John S. Hawley.

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The firsts officers of the corporation were Edward R. Allen, President J.H. Thompson, Secretary-Treasurer, Thomas Watson, Superintendent. Board of Directors included C.C Earle, John H. Hawley, Delos W. Young, M.D., Lorenzo D. Brady and William H. Miller.

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Spring Lake Cemetery covers around forty-five acres of ground and is situated on the east bank of the Fox River bounded on the North by Hazel Avenue on the south by Ashland Avenue, east by Lincoln Avenue, and in the West by South Broadway St. (Route 25).

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The greater portion of the real estate in the cemetery was once the Daniel Bloss farm. Mr. Bloss passed on February 18,1871 and was laid to rest at Spring Lake Cemetery in what had been his very own cow pasture. A lesser portion was once part of the Matthew N. Norris farm. William H. Norris, son of Matthew, was the long-term Superintendent at Spring Lake, followed by Charles L. Thomas. Today’s Superintendent of the last 40 years is Jim Forbes.

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The descendants of many of Aurora’s prominent families are interred here. The founding family of Aurora, the McCarty’s are located here. Joseph McCarty, the original settler and founder of Aurora died in Alabama, due to health complications. His health did not improve and he passed in 1839. His remains were moved from the South to Spring Lake and reinterred on January 30, 1873. His brothers Samuel and Daniel as well as their families are also put to rest at Spring Lake Cemetery.

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As of January 2020, there are just over 16,100 burials at Spring Lake. The first burial recorded was that of William West, a native of New Jersey, who passed in Montgomery, IL July 11, 2866 at the age of 78 years old. There is a long list of veterans interred at Spring Lake Cemetery. They are as follows, Revolutionary War (1), War of 1812 (1), Mexican War (2), Civil War (297), Spanish American War (25), World War 1 (85), World War 2 (21) and one in Iraq in 2005.  

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Spring Lake Cemetery would like to recognize and acknowledge The Illinois Department of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War group who has set many markers in the last 10 years with the assistance of Boy Scouts and high school JROTC groups throughout cemeteries including Spring Lake. You can learn more about the SUVCW here http://www.suvcw.org/

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