Springfield National Cemetery

Springfield National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Springfield National Cemetery

Springfield National Cemetery is located on what was once the Kickapoo Prairie in Green County, MO.

Settlers began arriving in southwest Missouri in 1822, making their way north up the James River and its tributaries. But it was only after removal of the Kickapoo and Delaware Indians in 1830 that permanent settlement became possible. John Polk Campbell is credited as the founder of Springfield. He arrived with his brother Madison in 1829, and upon finding a viable water supply carved his initials on an ash tree to establish his claim. Other settlers arrived almost daily and it was not long before a settlement developed, complete with stores, mills, a school and post office. By 1838 the town had been officially incorporated.

In 1861, Springfield was the site of the Missouri State Convention to determine its future as part of the Union. The governor favored secession. Delegates urged approval of the Crittendon Resolutions (then before Congress), which would have legalized slavery where it already existed, and would let new states decide their own rights and would reimburse slave owners for losses caused by abolitionist raids. Delegates ultimately decided against secession and opposed any military action by either side; but if the federal government declared war on the South, they would join the Confederate ranks.

The Battle of Wilson Creek, the first major Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River, was fought in Springfield on August 10, 1861, and involved about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Although the battle was a Confederate victory, the South failed to capitalize on its success; it led to greater federal military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862.

Many men who died at the Battle of Wilson Creek would eventually be buried at Springfield National Cemetery, established in 1867 when the city purchased five acres for a burial plot. In 1911, the Confederate Cemetery Association (CCA) donated six acres, two of which were enclosed by a stone wall. Along with the land came the provision that burials would be restricted to men who died serving the Confederacy. Through a series of amendments to this provision in 1948, 1957 and 1984, all eligible veterans are now permitted in this portion of the cemetery. A 1871 cemetery inspection report recorded 832 known and 689 unknown interments in the cemetery. It continued, "A very worthless superintendent was in charge last year, and the cemetery was sadly neglected. This year it has been put in good order."

Springfield National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Monuments and Memorials The U.S. government erected a marble pillar in 1888 in memory of Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, a Union officer during the Civil War.

On August 10, 1901, a monument in the form of a bronze figure was dedicated in honor of Missouri soldiers and Gen. Sterling Price, a Confederate officer during the Civil War. The sculptor was Chevalier Trentanove of Italy. The United Confederate Veterans of Missouri sponsored the monument.

The Union Memorial, also known as the T.J. Bailey monument, was erected in 1907. A lone infantry soldier stands atop its pedestal.

A small granite marker was dedicated September 27, 1958, in honor of the unknown Confederate dead who fell in the Battle of Wilson's Creek.

A small granite slab marks the location of a time capsule that was buried by the Lakes Counties 4H clubs during the Bicentennial in 1976. The time capsule will be opened on America's tri-centennial.

The Battle of Wilson Creek Memorial is a bronze tablet mounted on the rostrum. The memorial commemorates 501 Confederate soldiers who died of wounds or sickness at the Battles of Wilson Creek and Springfield.

A granite and bronze monument erected in honor of Pearl Harbor survivors was dedicated on August 8, 1992.

The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution memorial is a granite monument dedicated in memory of patriots of the Continental Army or militia that gave their lives during the Revolutionary War. The memorial was installed in 1999.

Notable interments

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note buried at Springfield National Cemetery, with section and site where recorded.

Directions

The cemetery is located on the south side of Springfield, one block north of Battlefield Mall. From the Municipal Airport, travel Kearney Street for six miles to Glenstone Avenue. Turn right (south) on Glenstone, proceed four miles to Seminole Street, turn right on Seminole. Travel one block to the cemetery entrance.

Flowers and grounds rules

Fresh cut flowers may be placed at gravesites at any time.

Artificial floral arrangements may be placed on gravesites starting the second Saturday in October through the second Sunday in April.

Education and visiting programs

More than half of VA's national cemeteries originated with the Civil War and many are closed to some burials. Other sites were established to serve World War veterans and they continue to expand. Historic themes related with NCA's cemeteries and soldiers' lots vary, but visitors should understand "Why is it here?" NCA began by installing interpretive signs, or waysides, at more than 100 properties to observe the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011–2015). Please follow the links below to see the interpretive signs for Springfield National Cemetery.

A National Cemetery System Springfield National Cemetery Confederate Burials in the National Cemetery - Confederate Cemetery

Who can be buried at Springfield National Cemetery?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

• A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government-provided burial liner
• A government-provided headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Springfield National Cemetery?

1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Springfield National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Springfield National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Springfield National Cemetery to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Springfield National Cemetery directly at 417-881-9499.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

• Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
• Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
• Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Missouri law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Missouri and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Springfield National Cemetery, by straight-line distance:

• Missouri State Veterans Cemetery - Springfield, Springfield, MO: 4 mi, open for burials
• Missouri State Veterans Cemetery - Fort Leonard Wood, Waynesville, MO: 72 mi, open for burials
• Baxter Springs City Soldiers' Lot, Baxter Springs, KS: 82 mi, closed to new in-ground burials