Swan Point Cemetery

08/07/2026

🌼 Flower Friday with Kelly Perry: Bee-Bee Tree (Evodia daniellii) 🐝

When many flowering trees have finished blooming for the season, Evodia daniellii, or the Bee-Bee Tree, comes to life with clusters of tiny, fragrant white flowers that are irresistible to bees.

A favorite of beekeepers and pollinators alike, this remarkable tree provides an important late-summer source of nectar and pollen, helping support honeybees and countless native pollinators when food sources become scarce.

The next time you visit Swan Point, our specimen is located just south of Rock Pond, keep an eye—and an ear—out for this beautiful tree. Its blossoms may be small, but the gentle hum of busy bees is a wonderful reminder of the important role trees play in sustaining our natural world. 🐝🌳

08/06/2026

08/05/2026

As more Rhode Islanders choose cremation, it's worth taking a moment to think about what comes next.

A permanent place of remembrance can provide comfort for generations. Whether through cremation interment in a family lot, placement in a niche, or scattering in a dedicated memorial garden, having a place to visit can become an important part of honoring a loved one's life and legacy.

At Swan Point Cemetery, we believe every life deserves a place to be remembered. We offer a variety of beautiful and meaningful options for the permanent placement of cremated remains in a peaceful, historic setting.

If you have questions about cremation interment, scattering, or memorial options, we're always happy to help you explore what feels right for your family. https://swanpointcemetery.com/

08/04/2026

🌟 Trailblazer Tuesday 🌟

This week we honor Anna Carpenter Garlin Spencer (1851–1931), a pioneering minister, suffragist, educator, and advocate for peace who is interred at Swan Point Cemetery.

As the first woman ordained in Rhode Island, Anna broke barriers while serving as minister of Bell Street Chapel. A lifelong champion of women's rights, she went on to lead the Rhode Island Equal Suffrage Association, serve as President of the National Council of Women, and help found the Women's Peace Party. Her unwavering commitment to equality, education, and peace left a lasting impact on Rhode Island and the nation.

Her remarkable legacy reminds us that true leadership is measured not only by the barriers we break, but by the opportunities we create for others. G:181/L:5

07/31/2026

🌸 Flower Friday with Kelly Perry🌸

This week's spotlight is the fascinating Harlequin glorybower (Clerodendrum trichotomum). In late summer, it produces clusters of sweetly scented, star-shaped white flowers. As autumn arrives, the blooms give way to brilliant turquoise-blue berries nestled inside vivid pink-red, star-shaped calyxes.

This shrub and small tree is also known as the peanut butter tree. Crush one of its leaves, and you'll discover a scent remarkably similar to peanut butter!

Nature never ceases to amaze. Stop by Swan Point and see what treasures are blooming this season.

07/29/2026

It may already be Wednesday but we didn't want to miss 🎨 Trailblazer Tuesday | Robert Henri

Interred at Swan Point Cemetery, Robert Henri (1865–1929) helped transform American art by encouraging artists to paint life as they saw it—not as tradition dictated. As the driving force behind The Eight and a leader of the Ashcan School, he challenged the art establishment and inspired a generation of influential artists, including Edward Hopper and George Bellows.

His belief that art should reflect authentic human experience continues to inspire artists today. Swan Point is honored to be the final resting place of this visionary. G:355/L:33

07/24/2026

🌸 Flower Friday 🌸Meet one of our native treasures—the beautiful Sourwood Tree (Oxydendron arboreum). Its delicate, cascading clusters of fragrant white blossoms brighten the summer landscape and provide an important source of nectar for pollinators.

07/21/2026

This 🔥Trailblazer Tuesday we honor Elizabeth Buffum Chace, (1806–1899), a fearless reformer remembered as "the conscience of Rhode Island."

A lifelong Quaker and passionate advocate for justice, Chace, raised in Smithfield, devoted her life to the abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, prison reform, and the protection of society's most vulnerable. Alongside her husband, she opened their home in Valley Falls as a station on the Underground Railroad and welcomed legendary voices such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and William Lloyd Garrison.

After the Civil War, her work expanded to champion the rights of women, children, prisoners, and workers, helping to shape lasting reforms throughout Rhode Island. Her unwavering commitment to equality earned her a place among the state's most influential 19th-century leaders.

Elizabeth Buffum Chace rests at Swan Point Cemetery, (G:297/L: 3), where we are proud to preserve the legacy of this remarkable woman whose courage and compassion continue to inspire us today.

07/20/2026

Our "Roots of Freedom Tour: Roger Williams & Richard Waterman and the Foundations of the American Revolution" was an inspiring journey through history. A heartfelt thank you to Roger Williams National Memorial Ranger Andy Schnetzer, and our own Kelly Perry, for leading such an enlightening and deeply engaging tour. From the enduring ideals of religious liberty to the roots of American democracy, participants came away with a richer appreciation of the remarkable individuals whose vision helped shape our nation. Thank you to everyone who joined us—we look forward to seeing you on a future tour at Swan Point Cemetery!