Historic Cemetery

Giddings Cemetery, Black

Giddings, Texas
Location: Giddings City Cem., black—SEE Lee Co, Tx Cems, vol 1-2 (1991): “located within Giddings city limits, on US 290, W of business district. Cem adjoins Gidding City’s white cem. Black cem is long and narrow, runs from hwy to the S”. THC site visit MB 10/04/03: Distinct section with separate entrance off Hwy 290, section consistent and bounded by internal roadways. Diversity of marker styles over time. Some floral and decorative grave materials. Area abuts open field to West, ell shape to fence suggests additional burials may have been made in field area? Uneven perpetual care in this area of cemetery. Surrounding area pasture and free-growth wooded area, somewhat invasive. [Land to W side of cem may be additional land for cemetery annex?]Martha BerrymanHistorian-AnthropologistTHC History Programs Division.

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