Cemeteries hold the history of a community and the Page Jackson Cemetery is a treasure trove of…read moreAfrican American history in Sanford, Florida. You can find it down a dirt road behind Lakeview Cemetery. The cemetery bears the name of a local farmer named William Page Jackson who would stop to wave at the funeral procession when they passed by his celery field, which was adjacent to the cemetery. As time went by, the deceased was said to be sent to Page Jackson and the cemetery began to be called the Page Jackson Cemetery. This Cemetery is the final resting place of former slaves and the black pioneers and veterans from the Civil War, WWI, and WWII of Sanford. It served as the primary cemetery for Goldsboro, a historically Black community that was later annexed by Sanford but it is believed that some of the graves may go as far back as the 1700's. Folk artist and author Zora Neale Hurston spent her childhood in Goldsboro. The cemetery has two separate sections. The first nine acres are generally well maintained but the back six acres are unattended. Many of the graves in the overgrown underbrush have been lost. One of the more famous graves here is that of Drew "Bundini" Brown. Brown was born in Midway and grew up in Sanford. He was a cornerman for heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Brown came up with many of Ali's legendary quotes like "float like a butterfly sting like a bee." Zora Neal Hurston's family plot is here as well although she is buried in Fort Pierce. Disputes over who actually owned the cemetery through the years led to neglect as it was considered both city and county property. In the city owned section, of the approximately 3,800 burials, only 800 of them are marked. The City of Sanford took over care of their parcels since 1998. For years the Central Florida Cemetery Project has been helping to find graves and maintain the cemetery. While they have restored much of the city owned portion the other three parcels of the cemetery is privately owned by the Goldsboro West Side Community Historical Association They have been requesting state and federal funds to restore their portion. There is a Facebook page dedicated to the history and cleanup efforts of the cemetery.

While driving through Orlando, I spotted what looked like an old cemetery along Old Winter Garden…read moreRoad. It looked almost forgotten and curious I had to stop and check it out. I'm so glad I did because this cemetery revealed so much history to me. it is actually one of the most significant historic burial grounds in the Orlando area. Lake Hill Cemetery dates back to the 1870s and is the final resting place of many of Central Florida's earliest pioneer families. In 1884, members of the Patrick, Beasley, Ivey, and Roberson families formed the Lake Hill Cemetery Association to relocate the graves of their loved ones from an earlier family burial ground located between Lake Lorna Doone and Rock Lake. Their goal was to establish a permanent, well maintained cemetery where the community's founding families could be laid to rest together. Originally known as Patrick Cemetery, it later became Lake Hill Cemetery. The cemetery's most notable grave belongs to Captain Aaron David Jernigan (1813-1891), one of the most influential and perhaps most controversial figures in Orlando's early history. Jernigan arrived in Central Florida in 1843 under the Armed Occupation Act and claimed 160 acres near present-day Lake Holden, where he quickly established a thriving cattle empire. He served as Orange County's first representative to the Florida Legislature, became the area's first postmaster, and commanded the Florida Mounted Militia during the turbulent years following the Second Seminole War. His influence was so great that the settlement was originally named Jernigan before officially becoming Orlando in 1857. Jernigan's legacy is somewhat complex. While many early settlers viewed him as a protector, today we would view his treatment of the Seminoles which forced them to relocate through a different lens. His reputation really suffered when he and his sons were accused of killing a man during a fight at the local post office. Following a dramatic jailbreak, Jernigan fled to Texas, where he remained for decades before quietly returning to Central Florida later in life. He died in 1891 and was laid to rest in Lake Hill Cemetery. Another notable burial is that of John Bonnell Ivy (1834-1923), the son of John and Priscilla Ivy. After the Civil War, he was appointed Orange County's first sheriff and tax collector and later served as Justice of the Peace. Today, Lake Hill Cemetery continues to be recognized for its historical importance. The University of Central Florida has created a comprehensive digital archive of the cemetery, making it one of Orlando's earliest pioneer cemeteries to receive full digital preservation. Historic photographs, burial records, and other documents are available through UCF's RICHES of Central Florida digital repository. The grass is overgrown in the cemetery and some of the headstones and markers have toppled over and crumbled but somehow this only makes it look both beautiful and haunting. Walking among the weathered headstones of the Patrick, Ivey, Beasley, Roberson, and Jernigan families felt like stepping back into the frontier era of Florida. This is more than just a cemetery, it is also an outdoor history museums that tell the stories of the people who shaped Orlando when it was untamed wilderness. If you enjoy discovering hidden history like I do, Lake Hill Cemetery is worth a stop.

Lakeview Cemetery is a historical cemetery in Sanford, established on January 14, 1883, by the…read moreSanford Cemetery Company. In 1937 it was acquired by the city of Sanford. There is so much history among the majestic oak trees dripping in Spanish moss. The cemetery contains the gravesites of Sanford's earliest pioneers like John Hughey and Elias Woodruff. John Hughey, of South Carolina, arrived in 1845 to claim land granted to him by the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. He settled on land that later became known as Sanford Heights. Elias Woodruff served under General Andrew Jackson in New Orleans during the War of 1812. The most unusual grave in the cemetery is that of Old Bob. Bob was a horse that passed away in 1914 after pulling the hearse for the T.J. Miller Funeral Home to the Lakeview Cemetery for 28 years. As you head through the cemetery there is a beautiful gazebo that is believed to date to the 1920's. At the back of the cemetery, on the east side next to the fence is Babyland. The smallest graves are strewn with faded toys but even among this heartbreaking scene I saw beauty. Keeping watch over the babies were several gopher tortoises.

This historic cemetery is the final resting place of the pioneers of Enterprise Florida. Enterprise…read morewas founded in 1841 by Cornelius Taylor, a Seminole War veteran, former timber agent, and first cousin to General Zachary Taylor. He was nicknamed the Thunder of Enterprise for his hot temper. He and about 20 others founded Enterprise at Fort Kingsbury, which had been abandoned after six weeks. Enterprise became a key location during the Seminole Wars due to its strategic position on Lake Monroe. Later, it thrived as a river town, thanks to steamboat transport along the St. Johns River where Enterprise was the last stop for the steamers. Enterprise was designated the county seat of Volusia County in 1854, solidifying its importance in the region. A yellow fever epidemic in the late 1880s severely impacted Enterprise's population, leading to the town's de-incorporation in 1895. Today Enterprise has worked hard to maintain a separate identity from its larger neighbors, DeBary and Deltona. A reminder from Enterprises earliest days is the community run, historic Enterprise Evergreen Cemetery. When the cemetery was created the African American section was not considered part of the cemetery and the dues collected for the upkeep of the cemetery were not applied to that side. The scrub overtook that section of the cemetery and many of the graves were lost. In 2000 volunteers from the DeBary Boy Scout troop began a clean up project of this neglected side of the cemetery including the graves of well to do George and Jenny McBurney. A century before, they were one of just two black families in Enterprise who lived in a two-story home. Other graves in the cemetery belong to early settlers and Confederate soldiers. If you have an interest in Central Florida history, this cemetery is worth a visit if you are in the area.

Enterprise Evergreen Cemetery was established in 1841 and was deeded on June 10, 1841 by W.S…read more Thayer and heirs. Within this cemetery lies the graves of several men who served in the Confederacy, they're Grace marked by a flag and many other Graves from days long past. It is a well-maintained park and I guess is still open for burial. I seen a marker from 2018, as well as many from the 1800's and all points in between. I think the reason I like for three of your is that a gives us a glimpse into the past. Those who rest here lived from another time and within that period they laughed, cried, won and lost. I hope they loved and were loved. I would recommend a visit here. Teresa place with reverence for here it is people who walked before us and it is a walk one day to this conclusion we shall join them. Whisper a prayer for them and bid them peace.

Christmas Cemetery is a relatively small, private cemetery located not far off of East Colonial…read moreDrive (State Road 50) and is a historical cemetery with the oldest grave from the 1860's and also has Graves proclaiming some residents having fought for the South. There is a chapel on the grounds and Christmas Cemetery. All in all, it's a pretty cool place.

There is an abundance of Florida history in Longwood and some of it can be found right here in the…read moreLongwood Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The City of Longwood owns and operates the five acre Longwood Memorial Gardens, a municipal cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1957 but it has been used for burials since the 1880's. Longwood pioneers who were laid to rest here include members of the Henck, Searcy, Entzminger, Hartely, Hooker, and Clouser families. Notable burials include Longwood town founder Edward Warren Henk and his wife Mary, Charles H. Muir a Major General in WWI, Josiah B Clouser a Union Civil War veteran and recognized by the State of Florida as a Great Floridian for his pioneering contributions to Central Florida's development, and John Neill Searcy one of the original town settlers and the man who donated the land for the cemetery. The oldest burial is believed to be that of William B Holeman (Jan 10 1797-Oct 21 1880). The oldest section is the northwestern quadrant. The southern half of the cemetery was added in 1957 along with other improvements such as the paved pathway. The southern section has flat grave markers. The peaceful pathways, beautiful landscaping, brick entrance, and fountain add to the the serene ambiance of this well maintained resting place for the community of Longwood, Florida.

A small cemetery next to the Candyland Sports Complex. I saw a grave from the 1920's and a couple…read morefrom the first decade of the 1900's. I also saw the inevitable grave of an infant child laid to rest by his parents. The mother's headstone said "beloved mother and grandmother" so fortunately theory were other children and eventually grandchildren.

Boston Cemetery is a historical cemetery in Oviedo, Florida that dates back to 1927, when the…read morecemetery was created so that African Americans could have a final resting spot. At the time, African Americans could not be buried in white cemeteries. To get to the historical cemetery, I drove down Boston Cemetery Road until the road ran out and then continued on the unpaved road. It is not a large cemetery and recent development has built around it, but we must remember the history attached to it. Oviedo, Florida was a very different place back in 1927 and in the near century from when Boston Cemetery was created to when I am writing this now in 2023, the area is probably unrecognizable. I am grateful for the tome that I was able to come here and pay my respects to those who are in their eternal slumber here and to contemplate how much Oviedo, Florida and the world has changed in not even a hundred years.

I have nothing but the highest praise for Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home at Oaklawn. The entire…read morestaff was always warm, helpful, and considerate and the services offered eased our mind and put us at rest. Friends and neighbors raved about the setup, arrangements and facilities. My family will be eternally grateful to Ashley Raphael, Nadia Roopnarine and the entire staff for their help and sympathetic understanding in preparation for a cremation and celebration of life in August 2024.

Flowers fountains and…read moreashes The Oakland Memorial Cemetery is a lovely place that rambles across several acres of very well kempt graves and memorials. Lots of flowers and personal grave sites, it's a very different place from northern cemeteries because many of the graves are actually cremations or vaults with the bodies held above ground. The different sections are well marked and one of the most poignant is called "Baby Land' that has the graves of the very young. An different and interesting graveyard to walk around and visit. A beautiful cemetery that is peaceful and reflective.