Historic Cemetery

Shaw Cemetery

Prairie Point, Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From SH 19 in Lovelady, go 2.8 miles west on FM 230. Turn left at CR 3260 and go 1.5 miles south. Turn left at CR 3630 and go 1.2 miles south-west. Turn right at CR 3635 and go less than a 0.1 mile north to sharp bend. Cemetery is approx. 1320 ft. due north of sharp bend on east side of fence row.This cemetery is highly endangered. It is a map feature, but it is located on private property and difficult to access. The cemetery is not maintained and is heavily overgrown with vines, yaupon, and poison ivy. Two adjacent family plots, Shaw and Monzingo, are fully fenced. However, sections of the fence are damaged or missing. There are also several marked and unmarked graves outside the fence area. Recent plowing threatens the unfenced graves.

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