This was West Springfield’s first burying ground and it has had many different names during its 300-year existence. It was first known as the Old Field Burying Ground, then Old Meadow Burying Ground and then Cold Spring Cemetery. It is now officially known as the Union Street Cemetery.
People started living on the "West Side of the Great River" in 1654, but for the first 50 years of the settlement, they were required to bury their dead on the East Side of the River. One can only imagine the difficulty West Siders had to contend with for each funeral. The trip across the river, even in the best of times, was difficult and must have added immensely to the stress of the mourners. This awkward policy finally ended in 1711 when Edward and Sarah Foster donated a piece of their land "near Cold Spring for use as a burying place".
The earliest headstone in the Union Street Cemetery is that of Mrs. Martha (Bliss) Ely, wife of Samuel Ely, Senior, and is dated 1702. This indicates that Mrs. Ely was initially buried on the East Side of the River and was re-interred here sometime after 1711. The last headstone is that of Deacon Joseph Merrick, who died on March 5, 1792.
A centrally located brownstone monument is dedicated to the town’s first minister, Reverend John Woodbridge, who died in 1718. This monument was erected in 1852 by the descendants of his parishioners and replaced the original stone that had become badly deteriorated. Also engraved on the stone are the family names of many of the town’s first settlers who are also buried here.
Toward the rear of the cemetery, on the right side, is the gravesite of Josiah Day. He is best remembered for the historic brick saltbox house that bears his name and is located opposite the Common.
By the tree near Union Street can be found another headstone worthy of mention, that of John Andrew Isensee, one of the "Hessian soldiers" who remained in West Springfield after the captured troops of General van Riedesel were marched to Boston in 1777.
It is interesting to note that the Foster’s deed is worded in such a way that the Union Street Cemetery is the only one owned by the Town of West Springfield, all the others are owned by churches or private associations.