Cemeteries in Tallahassee (City)

Tallahassee, located in Leon County, has served as the capital of Florida since 1824.

The area was originally inhabited by the Apalachee people and later became the site of several Spanish missions in the 17th century. Following Florida's transfer from Spain to the United States in 1821, Tallahassee was selected as the territorial capital due to its central location between Pensacola and St. Augustine. The city’s name derives from a Muskogean word meaning “old fields” or “abandoned lands.” Early settlers were primarily from the Southern U.S., and Protestant churches—particularly Baptist and Methodist—were prominent in community life. Tallahassee developed as a center of politics, education, and agriculture, with cotton plantations dominating the surrounding countryside. It remained the capital when Florida became a state in 1845.

Historic cemeteries, such as the Old City Cemetery and the Greenwood Cemetery, preserve the memory of the city’s early political leaders, settlers, and Civil War-era residents.