Ft. Kissimmee Cemetery

Fort Kissimmee Cemetery is one of the oldest Florida Heartland pioneer cemeteries located on the eastern boundary of the Avon Park Bombing Range in Highlands County, Florida, along the Kissimmee River. The cemetery is approximately 20 miles (32 km) east of Avon Park, Florida. The cemetery was started from a community of cattle farmers located along the Kissimmee River near the old Fort Kissimmee site used during the Seminole Indian Wars. Kissimmee River is an Indian name meaning "long water", given to the river by the Creek Indians. Once the Indians were driven further south, the Florida Heartland area was then opened up to pioneer settlers. Getting to Heartland was not easy during the mid-19th century since there was not many well traveled roads except for military roads connecting the different forts. Much of the supplies were brought to these settlers by steamboats and used to haul out their produce.