Tolomato Cemetery

Tolomato Cemetery

St. Augustine, Florida

February 24, 2022

Description:

The Tolomato Cemetery is a cemetery located in St. Augustine, Florida. This cemetery holds at least 1000 remains, but only 105 (about) graves are marked. This cemetery was used up from the 18th century up until 1884. The cemetery started during the First Spanish Period, the British Period, the Second Spanish Period, and through Florida's Territorial and early Statehood periods. After those times, the cemetery was closed for burials, but they still offer tours. There is much history behind this cemetery. Since there are at least 1000 buried, they all hold a story, even if it is unknown. The Tolomato Cemetery contains the oldest marked grave in the state of Florida. This grave is the burial spot of Elizabeth Forrester. She had passed when she was a young teenager after she moved to St. Augustine. Unfortunately, her grave was robbed by the soldiers, and they took her clothing and valuables. This story was only one of the many stories that this 1-acre cemetery holds.

Tolomato Cemetery

Exterior 1

Exterior 2

Artifact 1

    This gravestone pictured above is the grave of Mary Carmen Benet. She had passed away on December 27, 1868, at the age of 33. She is buried with all of her children. Only one of them lived past a year old. On December 27, she passed away during childbirth, and unfortunately, her infant did too. Her husband put this grave up in memory of her and their lost children.

Artifact 2

    This picture was inside the mausoleum that was built in honor of Father Felix Varela. His remains were placed below the structure but were then moved and brought back to his home in Cuba. He was a Cuban priest that came to the United States.

In Conversation 1

White House Image Source

    While being at the Tolomato Cemetery, I was reminded of columns. Columns represent importance. Looking at the mausoleum of Father Felix Varela, made me think of the White House. They are both important structures and symbolic.

In Conversation 2

Lincoln's Tomb Image Source

    During a family road trip, I was fortunate to be able to visit the crypt of Abraham Lincoln. During my time at the Tolomato Cemetery, I remembered how the crypt of Father Felix Varela is similar to Lincoln's. They both have a "shrine" symbolizing their importance and their lives.

Literature In Conversation

"I kept thinking about people who I had lost, and I felt them around me" - Craig Santos Perez, Lukao, page 53

    

    This quote from Lukao reminds me of the Tolomato Cemetery. This is because in a cemetery people are buried all around us. There are many unmarked graves so people are unaware of where exactly the deceased are. In a literal sense, there are people all around us when walking through a cemetery. Another way this quote relates to the Tolomato Cemetery is due to the deceased all being a part of a family. Just because a person may die, their existence doesn't just disapear. Family members and their friends still think of them so they are able to feel their loved one who passed.

Creative Component

    The digital drawing above is the gates to the Tolomato Cemetery. I feel as if the gates around any location are very significant since gates symbolize an entryway into an unknown place. Before we went to the Tolomato Cemetery, we only understood it to be a cemetery and did not realize all the stories and history behind it.