Historic Preservation

Our Chapter sponsored the Hickory Bluff Cemetery historical marker at the Hickory Bluff Cemetery as our first project as a new chapter. On Thursday, March 24, 2016, members of the Hickory Bluff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Charlotte County dignitaries and local historians gathered at the location of the Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Charlotte Harbor to dedicate the new historical marker for the cemetery. This cemetery is the third known African-American Cemetery maintained by Charlotte County. This cemetery dates back to the early 1800’s when the area was established as Hickory Bluff near the banks of the Peace River. Hickory Bluff later became known as Charlotte Harbor. This cemetery located on Rowland Avenue off of Harborview Road, is owned and operated by Charlotte County, and is being adopted through the Adopt-a-Cemetery program that is a part of the Keep Charlotte Beautiful Program by the Hickory Bluff Chapter NSDAR and Boy Scout Troup 351 to provide light yard work, clean up and beautification with native plantings.

To support his project, several of our members have been trained in the proper care of the gravestones. As part of the on-going maintenance, we meet with our partners from Boy Scout Troup 351 three times a year for a thorough clean up. The final phase at the cemetery is the installation of native plants and mulch for beautification.  We have supported this with our hard efforts and through a special grant we obtained through the Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Adopt-a-Cemetery program.

Please click link to read the full history of Hickory Bluff Cemetery written by local Historian Scott Shively, Director of the Blanchard House Museum of African American History and Culture of Charlotte County:  Hickory Bluff Cemetery History