Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois, was opened in 1860 as the third and now the only public cemetery in the city. It was designed by William Saunders in the Rural Cemetery Landscape style, a choice influenced by the topography of the area. The landscape is characterized by rolling hills and many eponymous oak trees that cover a ridge bordering low-lying Spring Creek.
The cemetery serves as the resting place for many prominent Illinois figures, including the Lincoln Tomb. Within the tomb lie Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, and all but one of their children. Other notable burials include the first governor of the Illinois Territory, Ninian Edwards, and Fleetwood Lindley, who was the last person to have looked upon Lincoln's face in September 1901.
The grounds evolved over time, with a southwest section opened after 1945. This newer area follows the Memorial Park style, featuring wide roadways designed for motor vehicles. The cemetery also houses the World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial, a Korean War memorial, and the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Located on Monument Avenue, the cemetery sits adjacent to the Springfield and Central Illinois African-American History Museum. It preserves a wide array of history, from the graves of early state figures like Alexander Starne to those of modern era veterans.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
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