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It is often said that the history of a community is written on the tombstones of its major cemetery. So it is with Evergreen which is the final resting place of Jacksonville founder, Isaiah D. Hart.
Evergreen started over a 135 years ago on September 28, 1880, when a group of prominent, civic-minded gentlemen decided to start a cemetery for the benefit of the community. They selected a piece of high ground in the northern part of the city and elected J.J. Daniel, Sr. as the first president. Evergreen’s first seven directors were Messrs. Daniel, Calvin Oak, M.W. Drew, J.C. Greeley, T.E. Buckman, G.B. Griffin and Henry Robinson. When these gentlemen purchased 200 acres of land, part of the Walker tract north of Long Branch, East of Main Street, for $25.00 per acre from A.B. Campbell, the cemetery was under way.
On October 26, 1880, the cemetery granted a 60-foot right-of-way through the cemetery to Jacksonville Fernandina Railroad for $1000, with stipulation that the railroad build a depot on the grounds for the convenience of visitors to the cemetery. That same day, a horse and cart were purchased, and a man employed to drive them.
Evergreen Cemetery is the oldest fully operating cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. It was founded in 1880. The first burial took place in 1881.
The cemetery is comprised of 167 acres and over 80,000 burials. When it opened, remains were moved here from a downtown area near State Street and from the Old City Cemetery.
The Evergreen Cemetery Association was organized in 1910 as a not-for-profit corporation and purchased Evergreen from a privately-owned corporation. In 1911 they purchased the 22 acres of Woodlawn Cemetery, which adjoined Evergreen on the west.
This cemetery has several sections for fraternal, military, and religious groups. St. Mary's Cemetery can only be distinguished from the rest of Evergreen by the street names, which are all named for saints and apostles.
Evergreen also includes two Jewish cemeteries and Mount Olive, an African American section.
In addition, Evergreen functions as an arboretum, a tree sanctuary used for educational purposes. Every tree has a numbered marker, common name, scientific name, and brief description.
The cemetery is located on 4535 North Main Street, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida.
Evergreen Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 8, 2011. It is located at 4535 North Main Street, in the city's Northside area.
In 1880 organizers of Evergreen Cemetery conceived of establishing a centrally located cemetery in Jacksonville. J. J. Daniel and directors of Evergreen purchased 200 acres of land for their project at $25 an acre. The first burial at Evergreen Cemetery took place on April 8, 1881, for Margaret Jamison. An on-site railroad depot was built in the cemetery for better access to visitors via the Jacksonville-Fernandina Railroad. A section of the cemetery was established in 1885 for those who died during the Yellow fever epidemic in Jacksonville. At the turn of the 20th century, Evergreen became a non-profit association. First Board President Arthur G. Cummer and the board purchased an additional 22 acres from nearby Woodlawn Cemetery. The City of Jacksonville ceded back its pauper cemetery to Evergreen north of the cemetery. In 1969 an on-site business office was built near the entrance to the cemetery.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Cemetery_(Jacksonville,_Florida)
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