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Number of Named Graves (in survey): 442
Number of Unnamed Graves (in survey): 3 graves with illegible funeral markers or blank stones with one other unmarked elsewhere.
Oldest Date of Death on a Tombstone: 1863
Original Information: At Christmas, Florida (formerly called Fort Christmas); 20 miles east of Orlando on Highway 50. Turn left on Fort Christmas Road. Go approx. 2 miles, turn right on Cemetery Road (before the fort). Cemetery is on the right. Christmas Cem. Assn. Inc. (21 22 33 0000 0042 – P.O. Box 244, Christmas 32709 — Beg. 264′ N & 1746.2 W of SE cor. of sec. run N. 618.2 W 23.8” S 618.2″ Th E 23.8 ft. to POB- Tax Ex.) Fort Christmas Cem. Co. (21 22 33 00000024 – P.O. Box 152, Christmas 32709 — Beg. NW cor. of E ½ of SW¼ of SE ¼ run E 210′, S 868′, W 210′, N 868′ less 25′ for road and other side of road; Tax Ex.) (28.55640,: -81.01860)
2014 notes: The cemetery is located in north east Orange County, north of the town of Christmas and near the Ft. Christmas reconstruction. From Orlando, travel east E Colonial Dr (SR-50), until you reach the town of Christmas. Turn left onto Ft. Christmas Road (CR-420). After about 3 miles you will see an entrance for the cemetery on the right. The gate at this entrance is usually locked, because this entrance is reserved for funeral processions. Continue north on Ft. Christmas Rd and turn right onto Christmas Cemetery Road. The cemetery is about 1/8 mile down on the right side. This is a privately owned cemetery and is still active. Parking is very limited outside of the cemetery. The rules are posted by the entrance.
In an article on 13 May 2014 the Orlando Sentinel wrote: “The cemetery, once reserved for pioneer families, has been opened to the community. Two years ago the association bought an additional five acres to accommodate any resident of Christmas. Anyone who owns land in Christmas, has lived there for five years, or who is a descendant of its pioneers can have a final resting place in the cemetery.”
Note that there were 3 unmarked near Vivian Canada’s grave plus one other unmarked.
Fort Christmas Cemetery Chapel
This chapel was built and presented to the Christmas Cemetery Association by the children, grandchildren, and great-grand- children of Lemuel and Nancy Hodges, whose faith in God and love and devotion to their family was the inspiration which prompted this memorial to be constructed in loving memory of them and the fine principles for which they stood. The children are: George H. Hodges, Penny Lanier, Lou Anna Canada, Effie Cox, Bryant A. Hodges, Bessie Snedaker, Mary J. Barber, and Arch Hodges.