Community races to save one of Groveland’s Black cemeteries

Dec 27, 2024 Story by: Editor

GROVELAND, Fla. — While the holiday season often brings joy, love, and cherished moments with loved ones, it can also serve as a poignant reminder of those who have passed. For some, paying respects at a cemetery is a way to honor their memory. However, for nearly 70 years, visiting one particular Groveland burial ground was an almost insurmountable challenge.

The Oak Tree Union Colored Cemetery of Taylorville, established between 1895 and 1900, was one such site. Located in Taylorville, now known as Groveland, it holds deep significance for many in the community, including lifelong resident and Vietnam veteran Sam Griffin.

“We called him Uncle Doe. That was his nickname, Doe,” Griffin said, recalling his uncle who served during World War I.

Griffin, named after his uncle, grew up hearing tales of his bravery. “Dad told me about him. He was tough. Back in that time, to make corporal, you had to be tough,” Griffin said.

However, visiting his uncle’s grave was fraught with difficulties. “The property around the cemetery here was owned by other people, and we couldn’t cross over that,” Griffin explained. Even when granted permission, the overgrown land made access nearly impossible.

“You’d have to look at a picture, a real close picture, of just how this place looked,” Griffin said. “This place was terrible. All this was grown up. Nothing but solid woods and everything.”

Over the years, the cemetery’s condition deteriorated further. This prompted Groveland Fire Chief Kevin Carroll to spearhead a restoration project. In 2021, Carroll volunteered to save the cemetery, enlisting the help of Nigel Rudolph, a public archaeologist with 25 years of experience from the Florida Public Archaeology Network.

“And at that time, it was the worst condition cemetery I’d ever seen,” Rudolph said.

With headstones lost or broken, Carroll knew immediate action was needed to prevent the site from being erased from history. The restoration project faced a significant financial hurdle until a new grant opportunity surfaced.

“Just coincidentally, right around the time he reached out to me, a new grant had come up from the division of historical resources,” Rudolph said.

Carroll successfully secured a $495,000 African American Cultural and Historical Grant, paving the way for extensive restoration efforts. Using ground-penetrating radar and hand probes, Rudolph’s team uncovered 229 potential gravesites and several buried grave markers.

“The folks that are buried here built this community,” Rudolph said, referring to those who worked in citrus groves, the turpentine industry, and sawmills. Notably, many headstones bore symbols of fraternal organizations, shedding light on the lives and identities of the buried individuals.

Linda Charlton, a journalist and church musician, contributed to the restoration by seeking out local elders with firsthand knowledge of the cemetery. She recalled interviewing one of Groveland’s oldest residents, Olea Mitchell, who vividly remembered attending funerals at the site.

Griffin, initially skeptical about the restoration, volunteered to help and has since become hopeful about its future. The friendships he forged during the project have further strengthened his connection to the revitalized burial ground.

The Oak Tree Union Colored Cemetery of Taylorville, now restored, is set to open to the public in early 2025. Located near downtown Groveland on State Road 19 (Howey Road), the cemetery will welcome visitors from sunrise to sunset, honoring the memory of those who built the community. Source: My News 13