Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domainCharlotte County's second-oldest cemetery, founded 1886—where the grave of Florida's 20th governor sits among 2,500 documented burials and reports of ghost lights, screaming, and shadow figures.
5400 Indian Springs Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33950
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Public county cemetery; free to visit during daylight hours
Access
Wheelchair OK
40-acre active cemetery near Alligator Creek; office with restrooms at entrance; relatively flat terrain
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1886 · Charlotte County's second-oldest cemetery, established 1886 · Burial site of Florida Governor Albert Waller Gilchrist (served 1909–1913) · 2,500+ documented burials including previously unknown graves · Historical Marker Database registered site
Indian Spring Cemetery was established in 1886 when former Punta Gorda City Councilman James L. Sandlin donated the land near the banks of Alligator Creek on the outskirts of Punta Gorda. The cemetery is Charlotte County's second oldest and has been owned and maintained by Charlotte County since 1948.
Albert Waller Gilchrist (1858–1926), one of Punta Gorda's founding residents and Florida's 20th governor (serving 1909–1913), recorded the first plat of Indian Spring Cemetery in 1886. Both Gilchrist and Sandlin are interred on the property.
The cemetery spans 40 acres. A Charlotte County historical project verified the locations of more than 2,500 burials, several of which were previously undocumented; some remain unidentified. Traditions hold that the cemetery contains unmarked and mass graves, though the total number of burials is unknown. A historical marker at the site was registered with the Historical Marker Database. The cemetery is an active burial ground maintained by Charlotte County Public Works, which operates an office with restrooms at the entrance.
Sources
Indian Spring Cemetery has accumulated a significant local paranormal reputation, with reports organized around three categories: light anomalies, auditory phenomena, and shadow figures.
Guest accounts compiled by FloridaHauntedHouses.com describe ghost lights seen moving across the cemetery grounds, disembodied sounds described as moaning and screaming, and shadowy figures observed among the headstones. A visitor in November 2017 reported photographing two apparent apparitions—one as mist over a grave, one as a transparent figure near trees. A February 2020 account describes seeing an inexplicable object on a tombstone around 2 a.m. that vanished when the witness looked away, followed by a high-pitched scream. A September 2020 report describes a woman's screaming voice estimated to come from someone aged 18–28, with the witness later claiming to find records of a historical violent crime at the location.
Albert Gilchrist appears in a ghost story within the locally published book 'Ghost Stories of Punta Gorda,' which draws on real people and actual locations in Charlotte Harbor. Southwest Florida Walking Tours features Indian Spring Cemetery as a stop on ghost-themed tours of Punta Gorda.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Explore the 40-acre grounds on a self-guided walk past more than 2,500 documented burials, including the grave of Florida Governor Albert Waller Gilchrist. Charlotte County and Southwest Florida Walking Tours have produced materials documenting the cemetery's history and the locations associated with paranormal reports.
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