The University of West Florida and St. Michael's Cemetery
Nowhere else in our society are we as cognizant of the cultural landscape of our communities as in our historic cemeteries.
University of West Florida faculty,staff and students have worked on numerous research projects through the GeoData Center to create SMC interactive maps, virtual tours, grave searches and photographs.
University of West Florida archaeology, history and public history graduate students use their training to help restore vandalized gravesites as well as research databases, newspapers and public records to retrace family trees and gather historical information to link people of today with those of the past.
"I feel it is part of my responsibility as a public historian to help preserve the history of our area and the people who lived here before us," said Jessica Stice, a public history graduate student. "Many of the people whose graves were desecrated helped build Pensacola as local politicians, lumber mill owners or homemakers."
Through the students' work, many relatives of the deceased have been found. It is their hope that associating real lives with the names on the tombstones will raise public awareness and strengthen the commitment to preserving and protecting the cemetery and its history.
For more information on the GEO-Data Center and interactive maps contact:
Johan Liebens, Environmental Studies, (850) 474-2065, e-mail liebens@uwf.edu or
Nathan McKinney (850) 474-3207, e-mail nmckinney@uwf.edu
For more information on the History Department, contact:
Jay Clune, Chair , (850) 474-2442, e-mail jclune@uwf.edu or
Amy Mitchell-Cook (850) 857-6014, e-mail amitchellcook@uwf.edu
For more information on St. Michael's Cemetery, contact:
Margo Stringfield, UWF Archaeology Institute, at (850) 474-3015 or e-mail mstringfield@uwf.edu.