Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Historic Preservation Board presses for action on Gary's Ferry cemetery, missing markers and headstones
Summary
At a Historic Preservation Board meeting, board members raised concern that preservation work at the Gary's Ferry ("Branding Cemetery") site is incomplete, that headstones removed during development remain in storage without clear reinstallation plans, and that there are no visible county markers recognizing the historic community.
At a meeting of the Historic Preservation Board, board member Kathy reported ongoing maintenance at Solder and Mckendry and said she is ‘‘a little bit concerned’’ about the state of the Branding Cemetery at Gary's Ferry, where headstones were removed and, she said, not reinstalled or clearly marked.
Kathy said the cemetery is on the Florida master site file and that an archaeologist’s scope of work from 2021 has not been fully implemented. She told the board there is ‘‘nothing other than the little kiosk’’ at the subdivision community center and added, ‘‘Nobody knows anything about the cemetery. There's no markers.’’
Kathy said she was told by the archaeologist Kevin Hooper that the remaining grave markers are being held in safe storage and that reinstallation would await completion of the development work. She also said she had visited the developer’s sales office, where a salesperson told her, ‘‘I hope people don't find out about that. They may not want to buy here,’’ a remark the board said underscores local concern about transparency.
Board members discussed the long history of Gary's Ferry — predating Fort Hileman — and noted surviving 19th-century grave markers for people such as Martha Tyson and Charles Hewitt. Members said the developers pledged to reserve cemetery zones within the subdivision but acknowledged that implementing markers and other preservation work can take time, particularly if external funding or grants are needed.
The board agreed to pursue a county marker application, and Kathy said she would be willing to lead the process. Kevin Hooper is expected to present on the Black Creek area to the historical society in September, and the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) will survey the site on the 18th of the month to continue documentation.
The board’s discussion did not record a formal resolution beyond planning follow-up: members asked staff to provide application materials and contact information to coordinate marker nomination and to follow up with the archaeologist about storage and reinstallation plans. The matter remains under board oversight and follow-up.
