Historic Saint Peter Cemetery

Sep 14

Written By Sarajane Smith

Site Brief:

Founded: 1840s

Location: Archer, FL

Additional name(s): Saint Peter Cemetery

Affiliate group(s):

Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church
Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church
Saint Peter & Saint Paul Community Council
Alachua County Community Remembrance Project

History:

The Historic St. Peter Cemetery of Archer, Florida, has functioned as a vital sanctuary for the Archer Black community for nearly two centuries. According to oral history, the property has been used as burial grounds by Black families since the 1840s, well before the emancipation of enslaved people. The St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church was founded and dedicated in 1878, and more land was donated in the 1880s, which formally established the cemetery. Several generations of the original community’s descendants still reside in the area. They continue to visit and care for the cemetery, which stands as a legacy of those who founded the surrounding neighborhood prior to the end of slavery. The Alachua County Historical Commission has documented nearly 500 graves in the cemetery. It is the final resting ground for formerly enslaved individuals, war veterans, community leaders. Notably, the grounds serve as the final resting place for those who fled the tragic Rosewood Massacre of 1923. The oldest African American women’s organization in the county, the Female Protective Society, has cared for the cemetery since its establishment in 1904.

The site is formally designated as an official Florida Heritage Site, ensuring its long-term preservation and protection. This historic site serves as a profound monument to generations of local African American history. The St. Peter Cemetery of Archer Florida Historical Marker (Marker Number F-1163) was officially unveiled and dedicated on October 22, 2022. The cemetery is located at the intersection of Southwest 170th Street (County Route 241) and Southwest 83rd Avenue in rural unincorporated Archer, Florida.