In 1906 Loring A. Chase donated the three acres that would be used as a burial ground for the white people in Winter Park. The cemetery is not full of fancy angels, crosses or statues but rather many flat stones, mausoleums, and is rather full of many upper class as well as veterans. There are a few sites that standout but for the most part its an area full of shady oaks and many prominent invidiuals.

The cemetery was mapped out in 1910 by a man named J.O. Frear. It rather seems much larger then 3acres probably cause it expanded and perhaps is the oldest cemetery in the Winter Park area. Just like most small towns in Florida the cemetery is usually downtown like this one.

There are a few sites within the cemetery that stand out one of is the Polasek Monument which has a modified cross with a strange sculpture for the graves of Albin Polasek and Ruth Sherwood. Then you have a cannon within the cemetery and stone monument which was dedicated in 1960 to honor the armed forces each veterans day.  The earliest settlers of Winter Parks families also have some monuments families like the Trovillions, Wards and a tall column for the Krafts. Then there is a carved Obelisk near a hedge which is the grave Frederick Detmar Trismen which was the owner of the Palms. Last but not least is the Chase Monument which was dedicated to the founder of the city named Loring A. Chase. He  was a benefactor of Rollins College and the former owner of the land where the cemetery now lies.

If you want to get more in depth into one of the burials here that of which was Albin Polasek who was a 20th Century American Sculptor born in Moravia. He emigrated to the USA  attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Some of his famous pieces were that of a Man Carving His Own Destiny, Eternal Moment and in 1910 winning the Prix De Rome Competition. In 1913 his sower was  awarded an honorable mention at the Paris Spring Salon and in 1927 he was elected as an Associate. I am very sure he is responsible for many of the sculptures at cemeteries within Winter Park.

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Rick-LordOfThyNight

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