College Hill Cemetery

College Hill Cemetery. . The College Hill Cemetery, established in 1889, was likely the first burial ground dedicated to serving Tampa's growing African-American population. Several prominent Black citizens were interred here, including former Florida State Senator Robert Meacham and several members of the pioneering Armwood family, including educator, civic leader, and attorney Blanche Armwood Washington. The cemetery was also known as the Cottage Hill Cemetery and the Cuban Cemetery., Though used predominantly by Tampa's Black community, the cemetery was also the final resting place for a small number of White residents and Cuban immigrants, including well-known tobacco importer Salome Oliva. Over time, the cemetery's extensive footprint became obscured, and its early history became tied exclusively to the extended Armwood family, excluding all others., The history of College Hill Cemetery was rediscovered following revelations about other predominantly African-American burial grounds that were forgotten in the 20th century. Extensive documentary evidence points to this location as the site of College Hill Cemetery, but further archeological investigation is needed to confirm if those buried within it still rest here.