Historic Cemetery

Van Alstyne Cemetery

Van Alstyne, Texas
Location: 501 South Sherman St. In downtown Van Alstyne at the corner of SH 5 (Waco St) and FM 121 East (E Jefferson St). Go east 2 blocks, turn right (south) on SW Main St. Go 4 blocks, turn left (east) on Austin St. Cross the railroad tracks and go 1 block to the main entrance of the cemetery.
Graves: 5000 (1846 to present)
Size: 66 acres

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