Location: This cemetery is also known as :Hutchings, Alston, Eastham Farm-Hutchings, Hutchings-Alston-Haden Family Cemetery, Old Plantation Cemetery, Eastham Unit CemeteryDriving Directions:From SH 19 in Lovelady, go 15.2 miles west-south on FM 230. Turn right at prison entrance. Cemetery is located near Garden Lake. In order to visit the cemetery, one must make arrangements with prison and be escorted by prison official.The cemetery is moderately endangered. It is a map feature. However, it is located on the Eastham State Prison Farm and access is strictly regulated. The cemetery is fully fenced and maintained. However, many of the grave markers are damaged, fallen, or displaced. Much of the damage, which appears to be the byproduct of grazing livestock, occurred some time ago before the cemetery was fenced. Cemetery features include marble, granite, and fieldstone markers. Many graves are also marked with homemade pipe crosses. One grave is enclosed by a ornamental woven wire fence, and several graves are enclosed by heavily damaged ornamental cast iron fence. Fieldstone curbing and small rock cairns also mark several graves.
To address the problem of cemetery destruction and to record as many cemeteries as possible, the
Texas Historical Commission offers the Historic Texas Cemetery designation.
The Historic
Texas Cemetery designation was developed in 1998 to help protect historic cemeteries by
recording cemetery boundaries in county deed records to alert present and future owners of land adjacent
to the cemetery of its existence. Every county in Texas has at least one cemetery designated as a Historic
Texas Cemetery through this program. The HTC designation is the first step toward preservation of a historic cemetery.
A cemetery is eligible for designation if it is at least 50 years old and is deemed worthy of recognition
for its historical associations. The very nature of a cemetery being a landmark of a family’s or community’s
presence is considered to validate the criteria of historical associations. Any individual, organization, or
agency may submit a request for designation.