New Smyrna Beach, Florida: Grave in the Road

When teenager Charles Dummett died in an 1860 hunting accident, he was buried where he fell. That spot is now also occupied by a street, which splits to accommodate Charlie's tomb.

Address:: Canova Drive, New Smyrna Beach, FL
Directions:: From downtown, drive east onto the North Causeway. Once you're over the water, turn right at the first stoplight onto Peninsula Ave. Drive south one block. Turn right onto Columbus Ave. Drive one block. Turn left onto Canova Drive. You'll see the grave in the middle of the street straight ahead.
Admission:: Free
RA Rates:: Worth a Detour

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Grave in the road.

Grave in the Road

The Grave in the Road is slightly overgrown these days...

[Toki, 07/30/2016]

Grave in the road.

Grave in the Road

Driving down Canova Drive, you'll encounter Charles Dummett's grave in what at first looks like a small traffic island. The grave is guarded by a small statue of a dog. Local folklore says when 16-year-old Charles was killed in a hunting accident, his father interred him at the spot where he died. In the 1950s developers encountered such difficulty attempting to get permission to relocate the grave that they simply built the road around it.

Today it is maintained by the local residents and has been officially designated as a landmark by the Historic New Smyrna Beach Preservation Commission. The street was named for comedienne Judy Canova, who attempted to develop a mobile home park in the area and originally platted the property.

[Dagny Kight, 05/13/2013]

We're familiar with Judy Canova from her comic book, which is prominently displayed at Geppi's Entertainment Museum in Baltimore.