Historic Cemetery

El Rucio Ranch Cemetery

a.k.a. El Rucio Ranch, Santa Fe del Rucio Ranch

Edinburg, Texas 78542
Location: directions to cemetery: at intersection of CR186 and US281 (north of Edinburg), go north 1.8 miles on US281; turn right (east) on El Rucio Road, go .8 miles on El Rucio Rd.; turn right (south) on unnamed gravel road, cemetery on left.Three of four sides of cemeterey are essentially "double fenced"; chain link on the inside of the gravel road, barbed wire on the outside.Endangerment factors: map feature (USGS), maintained, active, fenced.

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