“Florida National Cemetery is located in the Withlacoochee State Forest, approximately 50 miles north of Tampa in Sumter County, Fla. Withlacoochee State Forest was acquired by the federal government from private landowners between 1936 and 1939 under the provisions of the U.S. Land Resettlement Administration. The U.S. Forest Service managed the property until a lease-purchase agreement transferred it to the Florida Board of Forestry in 1958. Currently, Withlacoochee State Forest is the second-largest state forest in Florida, divided into eight distinct tracts of land.”

 

Source:  Florida National Cemetery, National Cemetery Association, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs  Link

Evergreen Cemetery is a large, well-kept cemetery located at 629 E. Noble Ave. near the intersection of US-301 and CR-476 in Bushnell. The cemetery is divided into blocks or sections which are unmarked.

Tema Cemetery is located on US Highway 301 2.2 miles north of the Bushnell city limits sign. Also, from the intersection of CR-470 and US-301 in Sumterville, go south on US-301 for 4.8 miles. The cemetery is at the intersection of US-301 and CR-352W. The recorded noted that the legible stones/markers beginning at the east end of the cemetery and counting stones beginning at the north end of the rows. Examples: N-R03-02 would be the second legibly marked grave in from the north end of the third row in from the east side of the North Section. C-R09-03 would be the third legibly marked grave in from the north end of the ninth row in from the east side of the Center Section.

The Sumterville Cemetery is located at the intersection of highways CR 471 and SR 301 in Sumterville, Florida on the East side of CR 471. The entrance is on the South side of the garage. Some of the headstones there are made of old concrete and some are hard to read and a few are completely illegible.  At the time of inventory, there were 414 gravesites that could be accounted for. According to one of the caretakers, there are some gravesites marked with plain rocks (as we noticed) so the total count will be higher than noted.

The older section is located on the north of the entrance road and the new section is on the south side.

One of the more significant plots was dedicated to the honor of Sumter County’s first casualty of the Vietnam War.  John T. Hensley, Co. B. 28th Infantry – 1st Infantry Division by the John T. Hensley Chapter No. 96 of the Disabled American Veterans.

The Rutland Cemetery is located in Western Sumter County. Starting from SR 44 and Interstate 75, proceed West on SR 44, for 7 miles. Turn right on Half Moon Wildlife Management Area Rd. (CR 247), go about 2/10 mile and the cemetery is on the right, approximately 100 feet from the roadway. You have to go through a gate. The cemetery is surrounded with a concrete fence and there are three gravesites on the outside of the concrete area. We have not yet determined what year it was established. The oldest recorded date is 1863 and there are 22 graves.