Cemetery Tours (March 2021)

The 1850 Manatee Burying Ground is the oldest public cemetery in Manatee County. It was the first burying ground for the Village of Manatee, the first established community between Tampa and Key West dating to 1842. The Burying Ground was in use from 1850-1892 with a few family burials occurring up until the 1960s.

Schedule your daytime tour in advance and visit the Burying Ground with a member of staff. Appropriate clothing and footwear is encouraged. Tours take place outside with natural elements and will include long periods of standing and walking, uneven ground, and exposure to sunlight and rain. At staff discretion, tours may be cancelled due to inclement weather. These tours will be available only on select days: March 1 - March 5 and March 15 - March 19.

Tours will be approximately 20 minutes in duration and will take place at 9:30am and 10:30am on these dates.

*When you arrive, please proceed to the Wiggins Store (brick building) and you will be directed toward the cemetery when it is time.*

Space is limited. There will be four (4) slots per tour and must be scheduled in advance. Please reserve for all those attending in your group, including children and infants. Groups larger than four (4) cannot be accomodated at this time. Tours are FREE but reservations are required. 

Tour content varies by staff member:

Mondays – March 1, 15
“Passing Ways” with Allyson
How did people meet their demise? Allyson shares how some people in the Village of Manatee passed on. 

Tuesdays, Thursdays – March 2, 4, 16, 18
“Wealth & Misfortune” with Krystin
Do you need a story with a side of gold and a little misfortune? Krystin shares some of the more surprising stories of the Village of Manatee. 

Wednesdays – March 3, 17
“Veteran Virtues” with Jeff
What military members rest in the cemetery? Jeff shares information about military personnel related to the Village of Manatee. 

Fridays – March 5, 19
“Dignified After Death” with Rachel
What do we know about life from a gravesite? Rachel shares how life in the Village of Manatee is reflected in death and burial.