East Hill in Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

More Than Just a Park

Pensacola's Historic Cemeteries

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2025

1. More Than Just a Park Marker

Inscription.
Miraflores Park dates back to the late 19th century and lies within the Rivas land grant, later known as "New City" and "New Town." Developed by the Pensacola Land Company, many lots were occupied by tenants. Early residents were often considered trespassers during later development phases. An 1884 City Surveyor's map showed trespassers and a “grave yard” in what became Havana Square.

Residents included people of color like Reverend Ephraim J. Pleasure, who owned a large plot around Block 72 with a nearby Free Will Baptist Church. The burial ground may be linked to this church and community. A local private infirmary might also be connected.

In 1887, the City Engineer reported Havana Square was being used as a "negro grave yard." Efforts to stop burials included legally dedicating Havana Square to the City. in 1906, the Board of Public Works ordered the Street Superintendent to clean up Havana Park, likely erasing evidence of the graves.

In 1934, the Boy Scout Building was constructed in Havana Square, disturbing the burials found in 2021. Renamed Miraflores Park in 1965, during Pensacola's participation in the People-to-People program, the park received a bronze bust of Peruvian author Ricardo Palma from its sister city, Miraflores, Peru, which still stands today.

[lower left photo caption]
Boy

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Scout Building c. mid-1930s. (Image courtesy Florida Memory)

[background image]
"Plan showing the location of trespassers on Chebeaux Tract and Block 22. Scale 1:100," June 1884, by W.H. Davison. (Image courtesy UWF Historic Trust)

This material was produced with assistance from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior under Grant Number P23AP01114-00. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Interior.

Erected 2025 by City of Pensacola and University of West Florida Historic Trust.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Anthropology & Archaeology • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.

Location. 30° 25.295′ N, 87° 11.713′ W. Marker is in Pensacola, Florida, in Escambia County. It is in East Hill. It can be reached from East Belmont Street just east of North 16th Avenue, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located in Miraflores Park, on the north side of the old Boy Scout Building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1601 East La Rua Street, Pensacola FL 32501, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Marker detail: Portion of 1884 trespasser report image. Click for full size.

UWF Historic Trust

2. Marker detail: Portion of 1884 trespasser report

This highlighted portion of 1884 trespasser report shows an area outlined in red that reads "Grave Yard" in the area of Havana Square.

Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Havana Square Cemetery at Miraflores Park (here, next to this marker); Here Rests the Remains of Unnamed Citizens (here, next to this marker); Boy Scout Building (a few steps from this marker); Ricardo Palma (within shouting distance of this marker); Frascati (approx. 0.2 miles away); Emanuel Point Shipwrecks / Los Naufragios de Emanuel Point (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Yonge House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Historic John the Baptist Church (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pensacola.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Miraflores Park

Also see . . . Task Force May Study Unmarked Pensacola Graveyard (wuwf.org).

(by Sandra Averhart, 8/2/2021) Excerpt: The discovery of human remains under a historic Pensacola building led to a 137-year old map that once marked the spot of a nearby graveyard.
“There was a map, I think it was labeled 16th street from 1884 and I thought well, this could be something,” said Adrianne Walker, interim archivist and staff archaeologist at the University of West Florida Historic Trust, recalling her search through Pensacola’s map index. She says the large hand-drawn
The Pensacolian

3. Marker detail: 1887 Trespasser Report
City Engineer William Galt Chipley wrote this trespasser report for The Pensacolian newspaper in 1887.
I find all the city squares and Bayview Park free of trespass, except Malaga square, occupied by school house, and Havana square, which is being used as a negro grave yard. If Pensacola grows as we expect, this square will be the most beautiful in the city. It is situated on rising ground, and at such an elevation, that a fine view of both bayou and bay can be had. I would suggest that further interments should be stopped, and those already buried should be removed.
map, which looked old and had been taped multiple times, appeared to be exactly what she was looking for, a diagram of the area where the human remains were found under the old Boy Scouts building on East La Rua Street. “I pulled it out, put the two pieces together and looked at it and realized that it is in fact a map of that area that includes what is Miraflores Park area,” Walker said, pointing out that it’s not marked on the map, because this map pre-dates the establishment of that. “But, sure enough, there’s a kind of dotted line that’s marked “graveyard” in part of Miraflores Park and under 16th Ave. The park, in Pensacola’s Old East Hill Neighborhood, was previously known as Havana Square.

(Submitted on August 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2025

4. More Than Just a Park Marker

Looking southwest through Miraflores Park. The marker is at the northwest corner of this kiosk located on the north side of the Boy Scout Building.

Boy Scout Building (built in 1934) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2025

5. Boy Scout Building (built in 1934)

Bust of Peruvian author Ricardo Palma image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 19, 2025

6. Bust of Peruvian author Ricardo Palma

Located at the southeast corner of Miraflores Park, about 60 meters from this interpretive panel.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 2, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 140 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 3, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3. submitted on August 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on August 3, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 5, 6. submitted on August 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.