Graveyard

[dancerbill]

I'm fairly new to The Villages, so I apologize if this topic has been discussed previously -- but, I wonder:

There is a graveyard on Stillwater Trail in the Village of Caroline between the Caroline Postal Station and Kaylee Villas. It is fenced off with the board fencing used around The Villages with an entrance gate on the side opposite Stillwater. However, it is impossible to reach the gate without climbing over the fence, and the area is marked "private property."

Does anyone know anything about this cemetary? How it came to be there, and who owns it?

Bill

[2Wheels]

There is a sign and entrance on 466 east of Morse at CR100. I don't recall the name of the cemetery.

[BobKat1]

In March we rented a house in Caroline and wondered about the cemetery too. A resident who lived nearby told us that he thought it was an old African-American cemetery which was there long before the area began being developed. I'm not sure of the accuracy though.

[nONIE]

Donna! Great assignment for you next time your in The Villages. I find this facinating!!!

[BobKat1]

If you haven't seen it, it's a very nice, peaceful setting with a lot of big old trees, and set back far enough off of Stillwater to be a little out of the way.

[katezbox]

Donna! Great assignment for you next time your in The Villages. I find this facinating!!!

This also looks like a job for our (hopefully to-be) resident research librarian!

[TomW]

In the book "Leisureville" this cemetery was mentioned. Looking up the location was on my list of things to do when I moved to TV.

[graciegirl]

I wanna know more about this place.

In Ohio we call this a cemetery and I can't remember anyone 'round here calling it a graveyard. Also, I find it interesting when I watch the TV show Nancy Grace, she refers to a Jailhouse and we Ohioans call that place a jail. No right or wrong, just local vernacular.

Just an aside. I am bored up here in Ohio.

[kittylecroix]

Tom, Isn't that the book that supposedly talked about the high rate of STDs in TV? Several people I know couldn't wait to tell me/ask me about the article in the NY Post that referenced the book. (They all had smirks on their faces) like that was going to deter us from moving to TV. I heard the author interviewed on Public radio, and he said that actually the incidence of STDs was no higher in TV than in the rest of FL. So what's that all about? I just tell people that I'm usually home when all this stuff supposedly goes on. I don't believe it anyway. Just sensationalization to sell books or papers. I also heard that the author didn't think it was right that some retirees didn't want to live in communities where there were kids, like there was something wrong with them!

[Bryan]

As someone already mentioned, the book Leisureville devotes several pages to this old cemetary. Interesting reading but I do wonder where the author got all his facts. If he is to be believed, it is a former "colored" cemetary (to use very old vernacular) which fell into disrepair. Accoding to him, when TV built in that area (Caroline), it was much cheaper to build around that old graveyard than it was to move the graves. Apparetnly, the Leisureville author "discovered" this cemetary one day, climbed the berm surrounding it, and found himself in Caroline with paved roads, a postal station, and not a single home (at that time).

[cybrgeezer]

Wasn't the report of a high STD rate actually from a doctor in Miami?

I seem to remember reading that before I heard of the book.

Maybe I've got my timeline wrong.

[BobKat1]

In the book "Leisureville" this cemetery was mentioned. Looking up the location was on my list of things to do when I moved to TV.

Tom, did the mention in the book give any details about the cemetery?

[dvcmembers94]

When we first closed on our house (in the Village of Caroline) I wondered about this too & climbed over the fence to take a look. There are some more recent graves in there too. I don't remember exactly the years but it they weren't that old. I'd love to know exactly what this is. I did some hurried internet research & haven't been able to uncover anything.

[Bob S]

I agree with Graciegirl - Even though the weather is beautiful here in Buffalo, and I played golf, I'm bored. Everynight, I log on to TV and watch the live webcam to see what is happening in the squares. I just loved and miss the entertainment. Can't wait to come back. We bought but the house is empty. BTW, if anyone has a truck going down from Western NY, maybe we could rent one together. Judy of the Bob and Judy team.

[delawarean]

Person at Caroline pool told me the cemetary is owned by Afro American Church and is an active cemetary due to some recent burials.

[Hancle704]

I believe that when the developer sold lots in that area they were priced as premium lots because they are in a historic district.

[TomW]

It has been a year or so since I read "Leisureville" but, as I remember it, the previous statements in this thread are true regard what was put forth in the book. The cemetery (graveyard) is part of a former African-American community called "Negrotown." Unfortunately I don't remember the dates of this village and it would seem very possible that the cemetery would be tended by decendants of those with ties to that community. The few pages in the book made me very curious about this piece of history and I hope to look into it deeper when we finally move to TV. I expect there are local historians to be found and of course, the library probably has useful material too.

[TrudyM]

Very interesting. I thought Caroline might be a good spot, but now I will probably have to cross it off my list. Hawaiians are very superstitious about burial grounds, graveyards etc. and although my husband claims he is not superstitious, he would (and has in the past) equate a graveyard with lower property values

[BobKat1]

Very interesting. I thought Caroline might be a good spot, but now I will probably have to cross it off my list. Hawaiians are very superstitious about burial grounds, graveyards etc. and although my husband claims he is not superstitious, he would (and has in the past) equate a graveyard with lower property values

It's a large (and desireable-I think) village. Maybe you could get far enough away that it wouldn't matter?

[dancerbill]

In addition to the creepy nature of the area around the Caroline pool, especially at midnight, I was told that someone had died in that pool. Does anyone know anything about this?

[villages07]

Bill,

I remember that...about 2 years ago. A man (in his 60s or 70s??) was swimming laps by himself, had a heart attack, and died. Nothing mysterious or creepy, just very unfortunate.

[Dancer64]

In March we rented a house in Caroline and wondered about the cemetery too. A resident who lived nearby told us that he thought it was an old African-American cemetery which was there long before the area began being developed. I'm not sure of the accuracy though.
That's correct, just read a book called "Leisureville" which mentions the cemetery.

[beachgirl]

I applaud the Villages for taking care of the cemetery. In the South, family cemeteries provide us with much of our history. My family has a cemetery in South Carolina, and it is interesting to see your great-great grandparents memorial stones; you can find your history in one place!