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Manatee County's oldest cemetery wants grant for improvements

Money would bring in technology to find graves
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The 1850 Manatee Burying Ground is where many of the county's founding fathers were laid to rest. 

"These people really fought a lot of struggles to form the community that we enjoy today," said cemetery supervisor Phaedra Carter.

John Riggins who worked with President Grant and Jon Pelot who led Florida's succession effort are both buried at the Manatee County Graveyard. Carter estimates about a hundred founding fathers are buried here, but there could be more.

"We really don't know, a lot of the makers have worn over time," said Carter.

Carter is submitting a grant to the state to find lost graves. They will use ground penetrating radar to look for graves.

"It records it almost like how a seismograph looks with wavy lines and it can determine if there has been a disturbance in the ground," said Carter.

The grant will be worth more than $20 thousand. Carter is hopefully the project can get started sooner than later.

"It helps to connect our past with our future to tell the story of a community who we are," said Carter.

Click here to find out more information about the cemetery.