Overgrown and forgotten, the Spires Brown Roberts Cemetery lies hidden in thick brush off West 33rd and Spires streets in Jacksonville. Neighbors say the neglected site, which dates back decades, desperately needs cleanup.

Outrage is growing in Putnam County after reports surfaced that a historic cemetery dating back to the 1800s was cleared and headstones are now missing.

Volunteers began the process Saturday to clean up an overgrown African American cemetery in Spring Park where nearly 200 people, including military veterans, were laid to rest dating back to the early 1900s.