Location: Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Galveston, Texas; 1882—SIU. (Catholic) Recorded GALV15, CALV16—Parsons. GNIS on Galveston map. Catholic Cems, Houston-Galveston Diocese: Calvary Catholic Cem. 2506 65th St., Galveston. Tx Funeral Serv. Com. as Texas City, 77590, Tel. 409/948-1455. Rootsweb as Calvary Catholic, Galveston Island. THC Atlas: “Attracted by economic opportunities to be found here, a large number of Italian immigrants came to Galveston in the 19th century. In 1876, they formed the Italian Mutual Benevolent Society (Societa'Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso) to provide assistance to fellow immigrants. The society purchased a plot of land in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in 1888 and built this mausoleum, known as the Italian Vault. The structure exhibits Gothic style influences in its buttresses, gargoyles, and Corinthian columns flanking the entrance. The vault provides space for twelve crypts. It served as a permanent or temporary resting place for more than 70 deceased members until burial could take place in the cemetery. A number of Italian immigrants are interred in plots surrounding the mausoleum. Buried in this cemetery are Captain Clemente Nicolini, a member of the original vault building committee and a former Italian consulate who aided many immigrants; and Gioacchino Cassara, the first president of the Italian Benevolent Society. The vault also was used by members of the later organized Italian society, Stella d'Italia, and finally the the Sons of Italy. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1992 --Texas Atlas” ALSO: Attracted by economic opportunities to be found here, a large number of Italian immigrants came to Galveston in the 19th century. In 1876, they formed the Italian Mutual Benevolent Society (Societa'Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso) to provide assistance to fellow immigrants. The society purchased a plot of land in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in 1888 and built this mausoleum, known as the Italian Vault. The structure exhibits Gothic style influences in its buttresses, gargoyles, and Corinthian columns flanking the entrance. The vault provides space for twelve crypts. It served as a permanent or temporary resting place for more than 70 deceased members until burial could take place in the cemetery. A number of Italian immigrants are interred in plots surrounding the mausoleum. Buried in this cemetery are Captain Clemente Nicolini, a member of the original vault building committee and a former Italian consulate who aided many immigrants; and Gioacchino Cassara, the first president of the Italian Benevolent Society. The vault also was used by members of the later organized Italian society, Stella d'Italia, and finally the the Sons of Italy. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1992”THC site visit MB 11/13/03: Large formal cemetery, many mausoleums, vaults in older section. Formal steel fencing, brick entryway on newer side of cem, __________ St. Large water landscaping, formal trees and shrubs. Perpetual care, monument sales, large maintenance bldg. Diverse formal statuary over time. Streets named for saints. Graves face each other and the internal streets, per Catholic tradition for community.GPS PENDINGGNIS 291620N 0944953WUSGS 2994-231Low risk, fenced, maintained, adjacent cemetery complex, city maintained, on map.
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.