Public Works
Cemeteries
Lieutenant Carl Bailey Cemetery
Previously named "Cleveland Cemetery," this 5.5-acre cemetery is located between Highway 17 and Riverside Drive on Scott Avenue in Punta Gorda (between Cranwood Street and Salewood Street). Re-named Lieutenant Carl Bailey Cemetery, it commemorates a local resident who served in the United States Air Force. Lieutenant Bailey's parents, along with most of the Bailey family, are buried in this cemetery.
This cemetery has historically served Charlotte County's African-American community. It was originally managed by the Punta Gorda Colored Investment Company, which is a lapsed trust. Cemeteries which have been "abandoned" for one year revert to County ownership.
In 1974, the Lieutenant Carl Bailey Cemetery plat was approved by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners. In 1986, the Board, working with a Trustee Board, took temporary responsibility for maintenance of the cemetery.
Burials in the "Old Section" represent 1.8 acres of the cemetery leaving about 3.67 acres to be developed. There are over 1,600 platted burial spaces in this new, undeveloped area, which is across Third Street (a dirt road). About one acre has been cleared.
For more information, or to purchase a burial lot at Lieutenant Carl Bailey Cemetery, contact Administrative Services at 941.575.3600.
