Old City Cemetery (Jacksonville, Florida)

The Old City Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida was established in 1852 as Jacksonville's main burial ground.^[1] After the American Civil War the cemetery later interred many Confederate veterans. Being that the cemetery is over 160 years old the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission has deemed it as a historic landmark of Jacksonville. The United Daughters of the Confederacy improved the cemetery by placing a historical plaque for the cemetery in 1949 and then a wall at the entrance of the cemetery in 1954.^[2]

Notable burials

• John F. Young, translator of the hymn Silent Night
• Francis P. Fleming, 15th Governor of Florida
• Princess Laura Adorkor "Mother Kofi"
• Joseph Finnegan, Confederate general
• Alexander Darnes, the first African-American physician in Jacksonville and the second in Florida
• Byron Kilbourn, co-founder of the City of Milwaukee
• Alice Nunn, actor
• Jacob Brock, steamboat captain
• Albert J. Russell, Confederate captain, author, educator

Decay and vandalism

Despite being one of the oldest and most historical cemeteries in Jacksonville it has been neglected and in decay. Due to the increased downtown urbanization around the cemetery and poor security it has endured vandalism over the years. Some gravestones have been damaged or simply toppled over in certain areas of the cemetery.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  Unknown Confederate grave in the Confederate section of the cemetery.
• 
  Confederate General Joseph Finnegan
• 
  An enclosed grave area.
• 
  A Confederate grave among other graves.
• 
  Plaque dedication of the wall donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
• 
  The main pathway of the cemetery.

Notes

References

• Florida Times-Union
• Florida Public Archaeology Network

Coordinates: 30°19′57″N 81°38′56″W / 30.3324°N 81.6488°W / 30.3324; -81.6488