It was a clear, sunny afternoon the first time I happened to come across Joshua Creek cemetery. I was driving down County Rd 760 in Arcadia which in itself is a beautiful drive. I was taken in by the beautiful drive itself. 760 is a narrow winding road. In some areas the trees have grown across the road making a natural tunnel where just small streams of sunlight filter through. It is a very rural area where stately looking farmhouses decorate the scenery. As I was driving along enjoying the sights I came to a curve in the road and to my left I saw the cemetery. I slowed down as I drove by and was taken aback by the beauty of it. After I passed the cemetery I was still in awe and I felt drawn to it in a strange way. I turned my car around and went back. I just had to get a closer look.
The first thing I noticed about this cemetery was there was no big fence surrounding it or a big gate to enter. There was one very narrow paved road going through it. The roadway was only wide enough for one vehicle to enter. There were about three other roadways or paths that you could drive on but they were not paved and there was nothing but obvious tire marks that would even lead you to believe it was a safe place to drive. I pulled over and parked my car at the entrance area of the cemetery. I had decided that this was probably a trip I would want to make on foot. I did not want to miss a thing I wanted to take in all the beauty and history that surrounded me. I did take note that I was the only person visiting the cemetery at the time.
I took a long look around and noticed that every grave was marked in one way or another. The most popular way to decorate it seemed was with plastic flowers of all colors. Then there were the small garden statues. Everything from turtles to angels decorated the graves. The first grave that I walked up to was just a mound of dirt raised up in the ground. It was being protected by a statue of three white dogs. One of the dogs appeared to be the mother of the pack. She was holding an old tin lantern in her mouth as if to light the way for her fallen owner who was now buried deep beneath the earth. Her two little pups seemed to look on as if wondering who their mother was waiting for. There was a small broken cement name plate in the ground with the name D. Holmes. It seemed that D had passed away in the 1940’s. Along with the dogs was a plastic flower pot filled with purple plastic flowers that were placed in dirt of course. As if someone was thinking that if you put the dead flowers in dirt they may come to life. Beside the pot were 2 American flags, the kind that they glue to a stick so you can wave them at the parade on the fourth of July. A few feet away from D’s grave a child was buried. The stone is so old that even after 2 rubbings all I can come up with is that the child passed in the early 1900’s at about 2 years old. There are 4 small scarecrows attached to sticks adorning the grave as if to scare away anything that may seek to harm the child. I think the child might have also enjoyed the ocean as there is an old white, weather worn conch shell on top of the grave. Perhaps someone placed it there so the sound of the ocean through the shell may lull the child to sleep. To the left of this child is a little girl named Claudette. Claudette was born 9/13/1917 and passed on 1/7/1919 there are dainty blue plastic flowers adorning her little grave. A few feet down the path is the grave of Alice Mabel who passed in 1939. She is buried beside her husband and her 2 children. The graves are protected by a wrought iron fence which is now rusted and falling apart. The gate is held on by one hinge and creaks when it is opened. These graves are not adorned with the popular plastic flowers but instead by houseplants and shaped concrete molds. Not far from where Alice is resting is the grave site of John Henry who was a Private in the Florida Mounted Volunteer army during the Indian wars. John Henry passed away in 1822. His grave is also adorned with the little flags on a stick and a couple of ceramic angels. Not far from him is Rick G Sr. or Uncle Rick as his loving family called him. There is a life size image of him adorning his 6 foot tall headstone made of granite. Uncle Rick passed on in 2002. The likeness of him so closely resembles that of Desi Arnez that I would not have been surprised if he had just looked at me and said “honey I’m home.” There are far too many for me to mention in one small essay. But I felt like I knew the people just by looking at the grave sites. They are so well cared for and surrounded by personal items just for them. These people were loved and will not be forgotten.
The cemetery has many old oak trees growing in it. All of them are full of Spanish moss and they provide a nice cover for the area. The area outside of the cemetery may be hot and humid but when you enter the cemetery the shade provided by the trees makes the temperature drop noticeably. They also give an atmosphere of peace and serenity. These big old trees are so much a part of the cemetery that I wonder if their big roots don’t reach out and surround the tenants of the cemetery in an eternal hug.
I did some research and found out that this cemetery dates back to the civil war era. There are rumors that there are also some Indians buried here although no on has officially confirmed or denied this allegation. I have been to many odd cemeteries. As a child I lived in New England and I spent many days at my grandparent house. Behind their house was an old cemetery which had an old dilapidated mausoleum in it. We children would take turns seeing who could spend the most time in there. In Exeter R.I. I visited an old cemetery that was famous for having witches buried there. I visit the graves of witches and suspected vampires in Boston. But I have to say of all the cemeteries I have visited in my search for truth about ghost, vampires and life after death I have never been to a place where you could feel the history behind the graves like you can at Joshua Creek. If you ever get the chance to visit there first take in the sights and the history that surrounds you then stand very still and close your eyes. I am sure that you will hear the giggles of children long since gone and smell the horses that the soldiers of the past rode through there. Perhaps you will feel the long soft hair of an Indian on your cheek as he speeds pass you in search of his next meal.
The first thing I noticed about this cemetery was there was no big fence surrounding it or a big gate to enter. There was one very narrow paved road going through it. The roadway was only wide enough for one vehicle to enter. There were about three other roadways or paths that you could drive on but they were not paved and there was nothing but obvious tire marks that would even lead you to believe it was a safe place to drive. I pulled over and parked my car at the entrance area of the cemetery. I had decided that this was probably a trip I would want to make on foot. I did not want to miss a thing I wanted to take in all the beauty and history that surrounded me. I did take note that I was the only person visiting the cemetery at the time.
I took a long look around and noticed that every grave was marked in one way or another. The most popular way to decorate it seemed was with plastic flowers of all colors. Then there were the small garden statues. Everything from turtles to angels decorated the graves. The first grave that I walked up to was just a mound of dirt raised up in the ground. It was being protected by a statue of three white dogs. One of the dogs appeared to be the mother of the pack. She was holding an old tin lantern in her mouth as if to light the way for her fallen owner who was now buried deep beneath the earth. Her two little pups seemed to look on as if wondering who their mother was waiting for. There was a small broken cement name plate in the ground with the name D. Holmes. It seemed that D had passed away in the 1940’s. Along with the dogs was a plastic flower pot filled with purple plastic flowers that were placed in dirt of course. As if someone was thinking that if you put the dead flowers in dirt they may come to life. Beside the pot were 2 American flags, the kind that they glue to a stick so you can wave them at the parade on the fourth of July. A few feet away from D’s grave a child was buried. The stone is so old that even after 2 rubbings all I can come up with is that the child passed in the early 1900’s at about 2 years old. There are 4 small scarecrows attached to sticks adorning the grave as if to scare away anything that may seek to harm the child. I think the child might have also enjoyed the ocean as there is an old white, weather worn conch shell on top of the grave. Perhaps someone placed it there so the sound of the ocean through the shell may lull the child to sleep. To the left of this child is a little girl named Claudette. Claudette was born 9/13/1917 and passed on 1/7/1919 there are dainty blue plastic flowers adorning her little grave. A few feet down the path is the grave of Alice Mabel who passed in 1939. She is buried beside her husband and her 2 children. The graves are protected by a wrought iron fence which is now rusted and falling apart. The gate is held on by one hinge and creaks when it is opened. These graves are not adorned with the popular plastic flowers but instead by houseplants and shaped concrete molds. Not far from where Alice is resting is the grave site of John Henry who was a Private in the Florida Mounted Volunteer army during the Indian wars. John Henry passed away in 1822. His grave is also adorned with the little flags on a stick and a couple of ceramic angels. Not far from him is Rick G Sr. or Uncle Rick as his loving family called him. There is a life size image of him adorning his 6 foot tall headstone made of granite. Uncle Rick passed on in 2002. The likeness of him so closely resembles that of Desi Arnez that I would not have been surprised if he had just looked at me and said “honey I’m home.” There are far too many for me to mention in one small essay. But I felt like I knew the people just by looking at the grave sites. They are so well cared for and surrounded by personal items just for them. These people were loved and will not be forgotten.
The cemetery has many old oak trees growing in it. All of them are full of Spanish moss and they provide a nice cover for the area. The area outside of the cemetery may be hot and humid but when you enter the cemetery the shade provided by the trees makes the temperature drop noticeably. They also give an atmosphere of peace and serenity. These big old trees are so much a part of the cemetery that I wonder if their big roots don’t reach out and surround the tenants of the cemetery in an eternal hug.
I did some research and found out that this cemetery dates back to the civil war era. There are rumors that there are also some Indians buried here although no on has officially confirmed or denied this allegation. I have been to many odd cemeteries. As a child I lived in New England and I spent many days at my grandparent house. Behind their house was an old cemetery which had an old dilapidated mausoleum in it. We children would take turns seeing who could spend the most time in there. In Exeter R.I. I visited an old cemetery that was famous for having witches buried there. I visit the graves of witches and suspected vampires in Boston. But I have to say of all the cemeteries I have visited in my search for truth about ghost, vampires and life after death I have never been to a place where you could feel the history behind the graves like you can at Joshua Creek. If you ever get the chance to visit there first take in the sights and the history that surrounds you then stand very still and close your eyes. I am sure that you will hear the giggles of children long since gone and smell the horses that the soldiers of the past rode through there. Perhaps you will feel the long soft hair of an Indian on your cheek as he speeds pass you in search of his next meal.
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