Charlotte County Press Releases 
Historic Marker Dedication Indian Spring Cemetery
At 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 7, 2009, the Board of County Commissioners will hold a dedication ceremony and unveil a historical marker at Indian Spring Cemetery. The Cemetery is located on Indian Springs Road and Taylor Road at Alligator Creek in Punta Gorda.The Indian Spring Cemetery, also called Indian Springs, was created in 1886 on land donated by James L. Sandlin (1858-1903), who settled on Alligator Creek in 1884. The name “Indian Spring” came from a small spring near the creek that was thought to have been used by native tribal dwellers. Comprised of 40 acres, Indian Spring, is he second known graveyard established in the Charlotte Harbor area and the first publicly-owned burial ground. James Sandlin, a leading citizen in the newly-formed City of Punta Gorda, is interred at Indian Spring Cemetery. The oldest grave marker in Indian Spring Cemetery is that of twelve-year-old F. Peabody McLane (1876-1889), the son of George McLane a Civil War Veteran who served as a Mayor of Punta Gorda, Justice of the Peace and a Commissioner of DeSoto County before Charlotte County was formed. Other notable citizens interred at Indian Spring Cemetery are:
• Albert Waller Gilchrist, the Florida Southern Railway surveyor who platted Indian Spring and served as Governor of Florida from 1909 to 1913
• Virginia Taylor Trabue (1832-1924), wife of Punta Gorda’s founder
• Joel Bean (1867-1943), founder of El Jobean, Florida’s first circular city
• Sallie F. Jones (1895-1960), Florida’s first female Superintendent of Schools. Sallie Jones Elementary School in Punta Gorda is named for her.
Funding for the Indian Spring Historical Marker was provided by Kenneth R. Barber, Jane Brenner and Roberson Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
Learn more about this and other Historical Markers throughout Charlotte County and the City of Punta Gorda by visiting Charlotte County’s website @ www.CharlotteCountyFL.com, where you can also find out about other Charlotte County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources events and programs, or call us @ 941.625.PLAY (7529).
Release Date: 9/22/2009
