Cemetery a Day in May: San Sebastian/Pinehurst (St. Johns County)

May 30, 2013

Cemetery a Day in May: San Sebastian/Pinehurst (St. Johns County)

Cemetery Log Date: May 30, 2013

The iconic cement crosses of today's CaDiM post graced the cover of the "Written in Stone: Cemeteries of St. Johns County" poster back in 2009. San Sebastian Cemetery was established for members of the African-American community of St. Augustine. The oldest known grave dates back to 1879. San Sebastian adjoins another African-American cemetery, Pinehurst. While located across the fence from the privately owned commercial Evergreen cemetery, it only takes a second to comprehend these two cemeteries are worlds apart. The ownership of San Sebastian is uncertain, hence the maintenance has fallen on voluntary stewards of the cemetery. The West Augustine Improvement Association, including stewards Willie Cooper and Linda Murray, have long advocated for cleaning up the grounds. The cemetery was recently cleaned by a 4H club (with young Isaac Turner, age 11, leading the charge after applying for grant in aid) and over Memorial Day by a new organization, Raise the Dead, sent out an answered call for volunteers and continued clearing dense vegetation (see articles below).

The clean up efforts are to be commended, but they don't solve the long term problem of ownership and sustained stewardship. A Friends of the San Sebastian/Pinehurst Cemetery 501c3 needs to be formed; a board of descendants, residents, preservationists, historians, archaeologists, and volunteers need to work together to develop a long term management plan; and the issue of ownership needs to be resolved, most likely by St. Johns County.

Who: Unresolved, officially abandoned
What: Early African-American burial grounds with significant markers and monuments
Where: On Pearl Street in West Augustine
When: Dusk till dawn 365 days a year
Why:

Early African-American traditions observed in headstone and crypt design
Vernacular hand carved cement headstones
Coontie ferns, conch shells, and other markers unique to Florida burial customs
The more people are aware and visit the cemetery, the safer it will be from vandals