Cemetery a Day in May: Welaka-Georgetown and the FMSF
Cemetery Log Date: May 22, 2014
Last year's CaDiM left us pondering how to protect cemeteries by visiting them; this year, we wanted to draw your attention to the Florida Master Site File (FMSF).
The FMSF is an inventory of all know cultural resources in the state of Florida, on private and public lands alike. Archaeological sites, historic structures and historic cemeteries are all included. Each site is given a specific identifying number and information like exact location, type of site, history of the site and other research is included.
Why is it important to get onto the list? The list is meant to help with long-term planning of construction, conservation or other similar projects. For instance, if a new highway is to be built, planners could start with looking at the project area and determine to place the road out of the way of important cultural resources from day one. Once a big project like this has started, if builders stumble upon a resource, it's harder to change plans to not impact the site.
While many local cemetery inventory projects have happened by historical and genealogical societies, this information does not always make it into the FMSF. With some of our ongoing programming about cemeteries, we've tried to raise awareness and get people working on adding cemeteries to the FMSF.
These cemeteries from our blog this year are not currently listed: Hilliard Community, Kingsley slave era cemetery, Norwalk, Garden of Heavenly Rest, Albritton, Welaka-Georgetown
The Welaka-Georgetown Cemetery started as the Ridgewood Cemetery in 1917. The cemetery served the small community, from which it received its namesake. It is the final resting place for several members of the Rogers family, associated with Margarie Kinnon Rawlings novels. It is still in use today.
Who: Cemetery association
What: 20th century African-American cemetery still serving the community today
Where: 174 Beecher Springs Road - Take CR 308-B east out of Welaka to Beechers Springs Road. Turn right & travel .6 miles to cemetery
When: Open daily, from dawn to dusk
Why:
Check out a listing of the graves here.
Text and images by Emily Jane Murray and Toni Wallace, FPAN Staff.
2013 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: National, May 2: Oakdale, May 3: Murphy's Creek, May 4: Mt. Olive, May 5: Bosque Bello, May 6: Old City, May 7: Espanola, May 8: Tolomato, May 9: Pacetti, May 10: West View, May 11: Magnolia Springs, May 12: St. Peter's, May 13: Gravely Hill, May 14: Pilgrim's Rest, May 15: God's Little Acre, May 16: Dummet's Grave, May 17: No Name, May 18: St. Monica, May 19: St. Joseph's, May 20: Old St. Joseph's (Duval), May 21: Sampson, May 22: Fernandez Reserve, May 23: St. Ambrose, May 24: Sons of Israel, May 25: Sanksville, May 26: Huguenot, May 27: Nombre de Dios, May 28: Beresford, May 29: Jones, May 30: San Sebastian/Pinehurst, May 31: Oaklynn
Last year's CaDiM left us pondering how to protect cemeteries by visiting them; this year, we wanted to draw your attention to the Florida Master Site File (FMSF).
 |
| Toni gathering some information for the FMSF form for Welaka-Georgetown. |
Why is it important to get onto the list? The list is meant to help with long-term planning of construction, conservation or other similar projects. For instance, if a new highway is to be built, planners could start with looking at the project area and determine to place the road out of the way of important cultural resources from day one. Once a big project like this has started, if builders stumble upon a resource, it's harder to change plans to not impact the site.
While many local cemetery inventory projects have happened by historical and genealogical societies, this information does not always make it into the FMSF. With some of our ongoing programming about cemeteries, we've tried to raise awareness and get people working on adding cemeteries to the FMSF.
These cemeteries from our blog this year are not currently listed: Hilliard Community, Kingsley slave era cemetery, Norwalk, Garden of Heavenly Rest, Albritton, Welaka-Georgetown
The Welaka-Georgetown Cemetery started as the Ridgewood Cemetery in 1917. The cemetery served the small community, from which it received its namesake. It is the final resting place for several members of the Rogers family, associated with Margarie Kinnon Rawlings novels. It is still in use today.
Who: Cemetery association
What: 20th century African-American cemetery still serving the community today
Where: 174 Beecher Springs Road - Take CR 308-B east out of Welaka to Beechers Springs Road. Turn right & travel .6 miles to cemetery
When: Open daily, from dawn to dusk
Why:
- Wonderful venacular headstones including poured cement
- Literary ties through the Rogers family members to Majorie Kinnan Rawlings
- Peaceful "Old Florida" feel featuring rolling sand dunes, large oaks and pine
Check out a listing of the graves here.
Text and images by Emily Jane Murray and Toni Wallace, FPAN Staff.
2014 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: Hilliard Community, May 2: Kingsley slave era cemetery, May 3: San Lorenzo , May 4: St. Mary's, May 5: Hibernia Cemetery, May 6: Oaklynn Update, May 7: Norwalk, May 8: Houston Pioneer, May 9: Greenwood, May 10: Geneva ,May 11: Rose Hill, May 12:Garden of Heavenly Rest, May 13: Port Mayaca, May 14: Key West, May 15: Felsmere Brookside May 16: Albritton May 17: May 18: Flagler Family May 19: Masonic May 20: Gethsemane; May 21: Magnolia Springs. May 22: African Refugee
2013 #CaDiM posts
Intro, May 1: National, May 2: Oakdale, May 3: Murphy's Creek, May 4: Mt. Olive, May 5: Bosque Bello, May 6: Old City, May 7: Espanola, May 8: Tolomato, May 9: Pacetti, May 10: West View, May 11: Magnolia Springs, May 12: St. Peter's, May 13: Gravely Hill, May 14: Pilgrim's Rest, May 15: God's Little Acre, May 16: Dummet's Grave, May 17: No Name, May 18: St. Monica, May 19: St. Joseph's, May 20: Old St. Joseph's (Duval), May 21: Sampson, May 22: Fernandez Reserve, May 23: St. Ambrose, May 24: Sons of Israel, May 25: Sanksville, May 26: Huguenot, May 27: Nombre de Dios, May 28: Beresford, May 29: Jones, May 30: San Sebastian/Pinehurst, May 31: Oaklynn