Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: Munree Cemetery was created in the early 1900s as a burial place for African Americans who lived and worked on plantations in the Welaunee area. The exact origin of the name is unknown, but may have originated from Monrief, the name of a former nearby plantation. In 1912, a New York businessman, Udo Fleischmann, acquired the Welaunee Plantation property and converted it into a bird-hunting preserve. As part of the purchase, Fleischmann acquired the land for this cemetery. The last recorded burial is dated 1946, and in 1948, Fleischmann no longer allowed the land to be used as a cemetery. Over the years following its closure, the cemetery became overgrown and details regarding its boundaries were lost. Fearing that the cemetery would be lost due to development, concerned members of the local African American community formed the Munree Cemetery Foundation in 2009 to purchase the property. They partnered with Leon County officials to survey and restore the cemetery. In 2012, archaeological investigations revealed at least 250 burials. Many graves were unmarked. To help identify them, archaeologists employed remote-sensing methods, including Ground Penetrating Radar and Human Remains Detection dogs.