City of DeFuniak Springs Magnolia Cemetery

National Preservation Month Spotlight

In recognition of National Preservation Month, the City of DeFuniak Springs will host a “A Walking Tour of Buried American History” on Tuesday, May 10 at 9 a.m. at the Magnolia Cemetery located at 222 North Park Street, DeFuniak Springs, Florida. In partnership with the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and DeFuniak Springs Main Street, the goal is to increase awareness of the need to preserve historic properties and to preserve our local history. 

Cemetery Coordinator Christopher Mitchell who, dressed in Victorian era gentleman’s clothing, will provide a walking tour and an overview of the cemetery’s history with insight to significant historical figures buried here.

• Learn about the slave who may be one of the last survivors of the Clotilda, the recently discovered 1860 illegal slave ship, and a father of 139 children.
• Learn about the Florida governor who was a “first” at something that changed the state’s inaugural ceremony forever.
• Visit the grave of a man appointed by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison to represent him overseas and the impact he made on American culture and our beloved DeFuniak Springs.
• Discover one of Robert Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” favorite American oddities and what this man did to impress the world.
• Understand the impact one local doctor had on thousands of African Americans which placed a local building on the National Register of Historic Places. 
• Along the way, you will see gravesites with wooden markers and others with seashells. What do they mean?

Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to [email protected] or online at this link: https://www.defuniaksprings.net/1413/Special-Events-at-Magnolia-Cemetery  Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a camera!  The City of DeFuniak Springs and Friends of Magnolia Cemetery will share the tour and famous burial stories on its Facebook pages and the Cemetery’s website page.  

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About The City of DeFuniak Springs:  Located in Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, one hundred miles east of Tallahassee, the City of DeFuniak Springs is the county seat of Walton County. We are the gateway to the beaches of the Emerald Coast and home to Lake DeFuniak, one of only two spring-fed lakes in the world that is perfectly round. Founded in the 19th century as a resort for railroad travelers, and later the summer resort for the Chautauqua, the town welcomed presidents, poets, writers, and musicians to the charming community as a vacation destination. We still welcome travelers interested in Florida’s rich history and culture. To find out more, visit our website at www.defuniaksprings.net or call (850) 892-8500.