Historic Cemetery

Bethania Lutheran Cemetery

Texas
Location: Bethania Lutheran Cem.—Giddings, Tx (area)SEE Lee Co, Tx Cems, vol 1-2 (1991) US 290 E from Giddings to CR 22;6 or State School Rd. Turn right for 2.5 miles, turn right on CR 224 from 0.2 miles, turn left on CR 225 for 2.7 miles. Cem. on right. Well kept, chain link fence. Earliest marker about 1900. THC site visit MB 9/29/03L Diversity of grave markers over time, formal and informal. Abundance of floral grave materials. Adjacent historical area for church and school. Surrounding land use farm and ranch, pasture areas. Historic marker. Approx 0.66 acres. GPS 30.06.4786905N –96.51.49.46507W. Quad 3096-222.

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