Historic Cemetery

Old Cedar Branch Cemetery

Cedar Branch, Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From the end of FM 227 (where pavement ends and CR 2210 begins), go 1.8 miles west-south on CR 2210. Turn right into private, gated road (there is a cemetery sign posted at intersection) across from Tryon Street. Go approx. 0.2 mile to a creek. At creek there is a fork in the road. Stay to the left and continue for another 0.5 mile. The road leads directly to the cemetery.The cemetery is highly endangered. It is not a map feature and is located on private property in a remote area. To access the cemetery one must go through a locked gate and travel 0.7 mile on private ranch road. The cemetery is partly fenced, with a chain link fence along the front/entry side and intermittent barbed wire around the remainder. The cemetery is seasonally maintained and visited. Recent floral decoration was observed on several graves. Many of the grave markers are damaged, displaced, or fallen. Much of the damage appears to be the result of falling tree limbs and grazing cattle. In addition, the cemetery is located on a significantly sloping hillside, which may contribute to erosion and falling markers. There is a cemetery sign posted on CR 2110 and private driveway leading to the cemetery. At the time of the survey, the sign was not clearly visible.

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.