4/15/14

Man, oh man was this week a busy one! From continuous paperwork on Wednesday to the lecture on Saturday, it was never a dull moment! (Also I apologize for the lack of new pictures, I was in the zone for this week and forgot to take pictures. Thus the pictures I will be using are unique things I have come across this semester.)

As always, Wednesday was more paperwork and I think there is a real shot of me finishing the Union Cemetery inscriptions tomorrow if I keep my nose to the grindstone.

Friday was full of creating slides and scurrying around to make everything work before the lecture, because when else would I create slides except the day before they’re needed? They turned out pretty good, with just a few revisions that were needed after I left work for the day. By Friday, I was becoming such a nervous wreck with the lecture since that was part of my internship requirement for UCF.

Saturday was an interesting day for upon arrival at Debary Hall I discovered that a wedding was taking place and so the Lemonade Lecture was moved to the theatre, where the moving seats are located in order to provide a more unique experience when viewing their introductory film about the history of the house. There was a smaller attendance for the lecture, but I can understand, but those who did attend were curious about cemetery preservation and asked very intuitive questions. During me section of the lecture, which focused on creating awareness of cemeteries and their need to be preserved, I know I talked too fast nor did I enunciate nearly as well as I should have. Sadly, this nervous ticks were due at the last minute nerves got the best of me, which is funny since last week I was at a Showcase Event and speaking there was a breeze. 

I can tell that I will have an intertwining career around cemeteries since I am starting to question about the history and state of cemeteries located in near the town I live in. In addition, I am going on a vacation in the Caribbean soon and I am curious if there are any cemeteries that would be accessible to where I will be, for I would love to see how cemeteries are taken care of and also the different looks and iconography that may be prevalent throughout.  I have finally accepted my fate that I am a taphophile (someone who likes cemeteries in a none creepy way). 

4/1/14

Unfortunately, last week I was not able to go into work on Wednesday due to fulfilling my part as an active member of society by attending jury duty. Friday as usual, was field day and led to interesting finds, but also caused to me reflect on the act of cemetery preservation as well.

A weathered handmade marker

Mr. Jacksons (left) & Commissioner Engele (Right)

      The group of us went out to the Oak Hill area, which is not far from Edgewater or New Smyrna Beach, and we visited four cemeteries. The first two were the Saints and Sinners Cemeteries, then Oak Hill Cemetery, and ending at the Clinton family cemetery. The Saints and Sinners Cemeteries are two different African American cemeteries that are located out in the middle of a forested area away from the regular hustle and bustle of the town. Since we were unsure of the location and also since there is a locked gate, we were escorted by two incredibly helpful men, City Commissioner Ron Engele and Abraham Jackson.  Ron Engele became fascinated by the idea of preserving the cemeteries a few years ago after its status was brought to his attention and he realized that due to the location on private property the city couldn’t intervene in preservation. Therefore, he and Abraham Jackson have gathered a group of men who have dedicated their free time to clearing out the overgrowth and preserving the remaining headstones while also keeping one as an active cemetery.

A fallen concrete cross that was most likely part of the headstone originally

            

       The cemeteries showcase a great example of how different materials for headstones or as markers react differently to weather and aging. For the most part in the Sinners Cemetery, all of the markers were constructed from concrete, which is an incredibly porous material and is affected by the elements very easily. Besides wood, this is a preservationist’s nightmare for the inscriptions could be completely weather-beaten or have eroded away entirely. I’m always saddened when I see eroded, broken, or just decrepit headstones/obelisks/markers. For that item once held a small peek into the history of whoever is interred there, it was a glimpse into their life and it has become lost to time now.  If only more people could become educated about the proper techniques in preserving different materials, even concrete, it could create a lasting impact in regards to the future of historic cemeteries.  If anyone is interested in the beginning of June, the CRPT Alliance is hosting a conference, which will include educating attendees proper techniques in regards to preserving historic headstones. If you are interested in learning more about this conference you can check it out here (x)! 

A headstone destroyed buy a bullet I found

            While I am on the topic of creating awareness in cemetery preservation there is a sensation in reality television that is encouraging vandalism more than promoting understanding of the past and those who are potentially buried there. I discovered this through an online petition to stop this sensationalized act. On three different channels, there are televisions shows that focus and inevitably glorify the pursuit of discovering artifacts and jewelry at battlefields, parks, and private property. These shows do get permission for their searches, but how many people are watching the shows and do their own hunting without receiving permission or thinking about their actions? What concerns me is the audience reaction and if this will begin a fad of treasure hunters. For when not properly done it can lead to the loss of historical and archeological context or the act of grave robbing could become a phenomenon again because there could be a priceless artifact there they just have to get. Noticeably, I am very passionate about this issue and I find this to be a prime example of why proper awareness of the importance of preserving cemeteries (and historic sites) is vital now more than ever. I’m getting off my soapbox now… Clearly, this internship has led me to think about how one’s actions can cause a ripple effect with preservation. The more educated people become about preserving cemeteries and other overlooked sites the greater a chance of it truly happening in a massive way and allowing for a more historically minded society as well.

2/17/14

      I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoying the additional day off with President’s Day as well! This post will highlight my experiences out on the field on which resulted on more fun then should occur in a cemetery. (Also I figured out how to make the layout more dynamic and may have gone overboard with pictures!)

 I was being a good driver by using a form of the "10 and 2" grip

  

            What allowed for Friday to go smoothly is that our application for driving the Volusia County vehicles was finally approved! I was just a little nervous about driving a government car, but I did get a kick out of the fact that even when driving the speed limit vehicles that wanted to pass never would. A little thing, but it made me chuckle that even the county insignia welds that much power.  

                                        

            My coworker and I traversed northwards to Seville where we managed to visit five of the eight cemeteries we’re working on that are located in that area of the county. Some of the cemeteries we visited were Seville Cemetery, Harris Cemetery, and Mt. Zion Cemetery. All were very different from the feel, racially, and even by materials used in the cemeteries.

            Seville Cemetery is a massive cemetery that was segregated after one African American man was buried amongst white citizens.  The white side is orderly arranged and has immaculate obelisks for Woodmen of America and additional Masonic symbols as well.

My favorite was the Woodmen of the World obelisk for it looked like a hewn tree trunk; I thought it was an incredibly unique and clever design.

However once you cross over to the other half of the segregated cemetery it is obvious it is much less organized and the weather is eroding the grave materials very rapidly. There are some graves as recent as 2011 that looked as decrepit as graves from the 1930’s. It was incredibly depressing to see the vast difference between the adjacent cemeteries. At one point while wandering the cemetery, I came across piles of brick, which I found to have a very eerie vibe and could not figure out what it was for the life of me. Just like in every feel-good movie once I moved farther away and looked at “the big picture” I realized the bricks made up the cornerstone of an utterly decrepit church.

The next cemetery, which was my favorite, was Harris Cemetery. Though it’s hard to find unless you’re headed south of Seville, but it was absolutely beautiful and relaxing. 

Very few graves here, mainly family plots but they were definitely tended to and had an array of decorations and memorabilia around the burials.

An additional aspect that I really enjoyed was the discovery of citrus trees scattered around the inside perimeter of the cemetery. My coworker, a true Floridian, took it as an opportunity to explain some of the vegetation and try to figure out if the fruit were oranges or persimmons. Regardless it just added to the natural beauty of the cemetery.

                                                

The last cemetery I will regale you about was the Mt. Zion Cemetery, which had a picturesque church with bathrooms in a separate outside building.

If there were no graves or if that wasn’t a factor for some, it would make a great setting for a wedding. Very idyllic and it is obvious that someone or a group is replacing sunken or eroded headstones with simple granite instead. It was nice to see that there are those apart of the community who take graveyard preservation as seriously as Volusia County Government.

            

Before I sign off until my next riveting post I want to mention this awesome website I discovered while doing some extracurricular research on the Volusia County area and local landmarks and wander upon this fascinating site, Haunted Places! I love reading about ghost stories, especially for places I have been and it gave me additional things to think about that I never considered such as the Devil’s Chair is located in the Lake Helen & Cassadaga Cemetery. Without that website I would not have put that together until I visited the cemetery later down the road. If you’re as interested in ghost stories and haunts as much as I am then check out the link x

2/7/14

This week was an example of when preservation is about due diligence and administrational work as opposed to continuous fieldwork. Due to the weather this week, I went to the Deland Public Library to take pictures of Daphne Brownell’s catalogue of the Lake Helen-Cassadaga Cemetery.  Brownell catalogued a majority of cemeteries in Volusia County for the Daughters of the American Revolution.

            

          Since this was a fairly document heavy week, I spent Wednesday compiling the names from the Bethel Cemetery from my site visit into a more comprehensive list for the Florida master site file. While adding names newly found while in my visit to Bethel Cemetery onto my list I found this poem that was inscribed unto a tombstone and what I found unique was that it was penned by the man interred. It goes:

            “The Memory of Life-Life is based on feelings and ideas and when you put these thoughts together you experience either sadness or happiness. If you loose your thoughts and dreams you loose the feeling of life-Alan Sumner”

I really loved this for poetry is believed by some to be a window into one’s soul. It’s a great way for others, who may or may not know the person entombed, have a glimpse into the ideals of the man or woman laid to rest. I would encourage everyone to leave a poem, either written by oneself or another, it is more impactful than any visual imagery that can often be found when perusing cemeteries.

          

        Next week I will be able to work from home and then hopefully on Friday the weather will be nice enough that we can start doing fieldwork again. Even if it means I have to drive the government vehicle, but with my coworker and GPS we should not get lost only sidetracked. 

       Before I finish I want to mention that if you are interested in becoming more involved in graveyard preservation, especially in Florida, you should check out the CRPT Alliance on Facebook. The group covers an array of discussion topics, posts fascinating pictures of tombstones, and even recipes for cupcake tombstones. If you're interested you can check it out through the link (x). It's a great way to learn about new theories or discoveries and is a great topic for dinner parties.