Approx. 740 WH Jackson St. (formerly Line St.)
The Line Street Cemetery is located near the J.S. Stone Memorial Cemetery, and is now on WH Jackson St. This is a historic African American cemetery, located in a part of Melbourne which used to be known as Crane Creek Heights. It was established in 1901 as the second African American cemetery in Melbourne (after the nearby old Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery). The Line Street Cemetery is home to thirteen known graves, most of which have upright marble markers. This cemetery is now in relatively good condition and is surrounded by a six foot chain link fence which remains locked. The City of Melbourne has taken over the cemetery and is now responsible for its maintenance. You will need to seek permission from the city to access the cemetery. This small cemetery is inactive and does not accept new burials.
Historical Sign: A placard outside the fenced entry to the cemetery reads:
This long-lost cemetery was uncovered in 1980 when area residents pruned back the dense undergrowth and cleared trash to find two tombstones: Those of Alice Chambers who died in 1905 and John H. Whitfield, who died in 1901. A few months later, Boy Scout Troop 730, led by Albert Broomfield and advisor Lenora Brown, spent many weekends clearing away the jungle that had obscured the cemetery. They found other tombstones. This was one of the first cemeteries in south Brevard and contains the graves of many of the black pioneers. Since that time the City of Melbourne has undertaken further improvements to this historic site, to preserve the memory of these early settlers.
