Springdale Cemetery is Peoria's historic Victorian garden cemetery, established in 1855 on the bluffs north of the city. Like many American rural cemeteries of the period, it was designed as a landscaped park rather than a simple burial ground, with winding paths, mature trees, and monuments ranging from modest headstones to elaborate family mausoleums. It is the resting place of many of Peoria's prominent 19th and early 20th century citizens, and the monuments reflect the architectural ambitions of the city's industrial-era elite.
The cemetery contains a feature known locally as the "Witch's Circle" — a ring of headstones whose origins and significance have generated a certain amount of local folklore and speculation. The cemetery is open during daylight hours and functions as a quietly pleasant green space for walking; the views from the upper sections across the river valley are among the better elevated perspectives in Peoria.