About “LAKE WORTH” from The Palm Beach Post in the print edition.

An alert blog reader sent me this from last Thursday published on p. B3 in the ‘LOCAL’ section with this headline:

Holiday wreath laying to
honor veterans

This was information in the Post about “National Wreaths Across America Day” being held next Saturday, December 15th at noon.

One could have concluded from that news about ‘LAKE WORTH’ in the ‘LOCAL’ section. . .

But you would be wrong.

This is an annual event at the South Florida National Cemetery located in suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth. The actual address is 6501 S. State Road 7 and uses the ‘Lake Worth’ zip code 33449 (see map at end of this blog post).

This national cemetery is west of the City of Atlantis — past the Florida Turnpike — and to the south of the Village of Wellington on the edge of the Florida Everglades.

In other words, if you are a resident in or near the City of Lake Worth, and are elderly or have trouble getting around, visiting the South Florida National Cemetery may not be possible.

However, there are fallen veterans at the Pinecrest Cemetery in this City of Lake Worth you can honor yourself, or organize as a group, on Saturday, December 15th. Learn more about the Pinecrest Cemetery later in this blog post.

About the event next Saturday and  “Wreaths Across America” at the South Florida National Cemetery:

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 1,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.


The reporter at the Post could have been much more helpful as to where the South Florida National Cemetery is located. One convenient and direct route to this national cemetery is to take Lantana Rd. west to Rt. 441 (SR 7) and then head south. The cemetery is on the right (west side of the road).

Hard to believe, but last year the Post referred to this national cemetery as the ‘Lake Worth National Cemetery’ and prior to that called it the “South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth”.

No. It is not located “in Lake Worth”. However, from last Thursday a staff writer at the Post did provide this helpful information:


Parking is limited, so attendees are encouraged to carpool. Handicap parking is reserved in the cortege lanes, north of the administrative building.

For more information about the event, contact WAA local coordinator James King at 561-902-8869, email king_james2@yahoo.com or visit wreathsacrossamerica.org


For veterans and residents of this City of Lake Worth unable to travel to the South Florida National Cemetery and would like to honor the fallen on December 15th with a wreath or some other way, consider visiting Pinecrest Cemetery located here in the City.

The address for Pinecrest Cemetery is 1724 12th Ave. South. For more information about this cemetery contact Andy Helbling, the City of Lake Worth’s Grounds & Cemetery Supervisor on Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at 561-586-1677 or by email at: ahelbling@lakeworth.org

The history of Pinecrest Cemetery began in 1915.

From the Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County is this excerpt about the “Pine Crest” cemetery which later became known as Pinecrest:


In 1915, the Lake Worth governing body appointed a committee to scout around and find a suitable location for a cemetery. The committee members reported that there was a 9.2 acres parcel adjoining the southwest corner of the town, immediately west of A Street between 9th Avenue South and 12th Avenue South. The city commission was urged to buy the land before the price went up, which they did, paying $10 per acre for a total of $920.00.


FYI: The City of Lake Worth’s I. A. Banks Memorial Park (the former Osborne Municipal Cemetery) is a 1½-acre cemetery located in what was called the “Osborne Addition” which was for African Americans during segregation. This cemetery is located at the northwest corner of Washington Ave. and Wingfield St. In 1983 the City was petitioned to rename this cemetery in honor of Rev. Ira A. Banks, the founder of New Hope Baptist Church located diagonally southeast across Washington Ave.

For reference, the map of zip codes
in Central Palm Beach County.

For exactly where places, cities, towns and villages in Palm Beach County are located and why it matters click on this link.

Remember, the zip code for the South Florida National Cemetery is 33449, a ‘Lake Worth’ zip code far west of the actual City of Lake Worth.

Click on map to enlarge.

The actual City of Lake Worth is
zip code 33460 and a portion of 33461.

More ‘Lake Worth’ zip codes not serving the
actual City of Lake Worth are: 33462, 33463, 33466 (within zip code 33461), 33467 and 33449.

Hope you found this information helpful and, as always, Thank You for visiting once again today.