The Concord Cemetery is a cemetery in

Casselberry, Florida Casselberry is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Greater Orlando, Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its population was 28,794 at the 2020 census. Geography The approximate coor ...

, where

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

Indians Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

, pioneers, and

veterans A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in an job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in the military, armed forces. A topic o ...

are buried.

History

Originally, burials were started during the 1830s to 1850s, when a blockhouse called Fort Concord was built to defend against Indian attacks during the

Seminole Wars The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were a series of three military conflicts between the United States and the Seminoles that took place in Florida between about 1816 and 1858. The Seminoles are a Native American nation which co ...

. The fort was burned sometime between the Civil War and 1885. However, burials continued on, especially when a church was constructed in 1885. Veterans from the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

and pioneers were laid to rest, along with the Indians and Seminole War soldiers buried before them. The Concord Church caught fire and was destroyed with all the burial records incinerated. Burials continued to 1920, then the trustees died.

Deterioration and damage

The cemetery was then abandoned and no one took care of it. The headstones were knocked over and used for anchors on the neighboring Lake Concord and Lake Ellen. A Ground Penetrating Radar survey found as many as 60 to 80 graves, with only one headstone remaining to date. The majority of the damage occurred before the founding of Casselberry, Florida. Restoration efforts were tried in the 1960s by the South Seminole Jaycees and a man named George J. Baumbach. They rooted out large overgrown weeds and shrubs and planted grass which is still alive today. Later, deterioration took a toll again.

Recent history

Finally, in 2011 and 2012, a project was led by an Eagle Scout Marshall Polston via the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, The Home Depot Foundation, and the City of Casselberry. A flagpole, monument, fence and other aesthetic elements were added to make the restoration complete by May 2012. A dedication ceremony was held on May 19, 2012.

References

External links

* {{coord, 28.6763, -81.3373, display=title Cemeteries in Florida Cemeteries established in the 1830s 1830s establishments in Florida Territory Buildings and structures in Seminole County, Florida