Historic Cemetery

Strangers Rest Cemetery

a.k.a. Frost

Lufkin, Texas
Location: Angelina Co. Hist. Com. list, 2/01, no descript. Co. File, news article. Negro cemetery. THC Atlas: “…corner of Knight & Walter St., in Lufkin. R. D. Holland, Sydney Hackney, and S. D. Long, trustees of an Angelina County African American cemetery group, acquired one acre here from the Lufkin Land & Timber Co., in 1905. Recorded burials began in 1901. …first known as Frost Cemetery but … began to be called Stranger's Rest Cemetery about 1915 because of the large number of drifters buried here. The last recorded interment … in 1946. The site fell into disrepair but was reclaimed by members of the local community … 1991-92. Sesq. Cent. Marker 1845 – 1995.”: From Timberline Road in Lufkin, east on Paul Street .7 miles to Lubbock. South .3 miles on Lubbock to Knight St. .2 miles east on Knight to cemetery on east side.A granite marker at the front gate lists many of the umarked burials at the site. There are only 3 stones remaining and there is evidence of vandalism at the site.

Source: RIP Fields Table

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.

gravesites