Special to the Herald
The City of Oviedo recently hosted a ribbon-cutting for the newly paved Boston Cemetery Road located at 199 Boston Cemetery Road in Oviedo.
In 2021, a request was made to the city from Oviedo Citizens In Action and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church to pave the road that leads into the Cemetery off Alexandria Blvd. The area was previously under the jurisdiction of Seminole County and had to go through an annexation process by the city. The property has historically been an enclave of the City of Oviedo and in spring of 2023, it was officially annexed.
As a standard, the road needed to be surveyed and during a subterranean survey, a dozen unmarked graves were found in and near the roadway. Boston Hill Cemetery has been a significant part of Black History in Oviedo, dating back to 1928. When the unmarked graves were discovered, the paving process was put on hold while Antioch Church and a Florida Archaeologist worked to exhume the remains and re-bury them within the cemetery. The process delayed the project for approximately two weeks.
“The paving of this road had been a long time coming,” said Public Works Director Bobby Wyatt. “We are pleased the city could work closely with Antioch Church to help with the exhumation process and have this road paved so families can reach the cemetery safely on a smooth road.”
Construction of the road officially started on March 11, 2024, with a construction cost of $351,000. The cost of the road was paid for by ARPA (American Rescue Plan) funds.
City Council Members, Public Works staff and officials from Antioch Church attended the ribbon cutting.
