Florida Public Archaeology Network - Central Region

10/13/2026

Hello friendos...
I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Hillary Van D**e, Assistant Professor of Education at University of Tampa, yesterday for her podcast Resting Places, Learning Spaces (available everywhere) about......surprise, surprise...cemeteries. Give it a listen if an earworm has you and you need a distraction.

Podcast Episode · Resting Places, Learning Spaces Podcast · October 12 · 32m

10/11/2026

Are you afraid of cemeteries? Does a crooked headstone strike fear in your still-beating heart?

Join us for Cemetery Club, October 15th at 6:00 pm to learn a little about the phenomena that have caused these fears! We'll follow that with a headstone cleaning demonstration-- then you'll have the chance to practice it yourself. We'll call it... exposure therapy...

When: October 15th at 6:00 pm. Talk starts at 6:10, so be on time!

Where: Gainesville's Historic Evergreen Cemetery, 401 SE 21st. Ave.

Good to know:

There is a small parking area in the rear of the cemetery at the office. If this is full, please park along the main paved roads. Please be aware of your surroundings!

The talk will take place outdoors. Please bring your own seating.

Most of this meetup will take place on or very near level ground that is either paved or a solid crushed rock surface, accessible to most people with limited mobility.

10/09/2026

The folks over at Anastasia State Park better brush up on their archaeology knowledge, because this group from Howard Bishop Middle School are bringing allllll the good questions!

Sixth grade students in Ms Murphy, Ms Theodore, and Mr. McMahan's US History classes were treated to a wonderful guest lesson by archaelogists Nigel Rudolph and Ms Mandy.

Students asked great questions about how native/indigenous Floridians caught fish using seine nets and weirs ahead of their field trip to Anastasia Island next week!

A Huge Thank You for sharing your passion & expertise, Mr Rudlolph and Ms Mandy!

10/02/2026

October is finally upon us, which means it’s time for Haunted Hogtown…where we explore Gainesville’s haunted past by bike under the light of the moon 🌙

Registration for this 2 hour guided bike tour begins at 6pm at First Magnitude Brewing. We’ll depart from there at 6:30.

Safety gear and personal water are a must.
We’ll be on city streets in the evening, so bike lights are required.

See you October 30th!

09/21/2026

This we're sharing maps AND an opportunity to visit them in person in Gainesville at University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries!

One of the first African American women to practice cartography, Louise E. Jefferson created maps that documented more than just spatial relationships--her work depicted the stories of people: their movement, their labor, their relationships and more.

The maps seen here are taken from Americans of Negro Lineage (1946) and Indians of the United States of America (1944). They showcase the history, strengths and diversity of Native Americans and African Americans during a time when those very things were under threat of erasure and marginalization.

Drawing Beyond Boundaries is on display now until December at Smathers Library Gallery. Anyone can go check it out!

We recently spoke with curator Adrienne Johnson on The Materialists Podcast. Turns out she knows something bout everything-- which is how we learned about this incredible map maker! Go give it a listen!

09/18/2026

Y’all really showed up to bring Cemetery Club back to life! We want to thank each and every one of you who came out for making this weird little idea a reality 🪦 Let’s keep celebrating cemeteries and creating community!

A special thanks to Eury Kim for showing us the life that abounds in our burial grounds around the world. We can’t wait to have you back!

Please tag us in your pictures, and if you’ve got pics or video of Nigel’s powerful eulogy, send them our way 🙏

Mark your calendars for the next one on October 15th—more details to come!

09/15/2026

Dear Christine:

Enjoy this dog lounging in the street without a care in the world.

With love, Grace.

Went searching for images of the old Gainesville and Alachua County jails today, and naturally wound up with a folder full of historic dog photos.

Hold on to your fur covered hats, because you're gonna see them all.

But first: who wants to guess how many pics of the old jails we now have?

Thanks to University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries for making this picture postcard (ca. 1900-1910) from the Matheson History Museum's collections available online!

09/10/2026

Dearly Beloved, we will gather at First Magnitude on September 17th to celebrate cemeteries and make preparations for the coming season...

Professor of Graphic Design Eury Kim will lead us deep into the oft overlooked world of headstone typography, sharing insights from her fantastically unconventional research.

After, we'll add another headstone to the cemetery as we carve our own epitaphs just in time for Halloween. If you'd like to make a headstone please register so we know how many to bring https://cemeteryclub.eventbrite.com

All are welcome, funeral attire is encouraged!

Check out our event page for more details...

09/04/2026

Dearly beloved, the time has come for Cemetery Club to rise from its summer slumber!

Let's make headstone carving a tradition and do it again! Eventually we will all have stunning cemeteries of our very own 🪦🪦

And steady your bones, because we've got a guest officiant who we're so excited to announce next week!