Historic Cemetery

Grimes Slave Graves Cemetery

a.k.a. Cemetery on Grimes Property, Grimes Black

Oak Ridge, Texas
Location: SH 21 east from Nacogdoches to FM 226. South 1.8 miles to cemetery on west side in pasture, 50 yards from road in clump of trees with metal pipe fence on GrimesThis site is believed to be an old slave cemetery. The dates, names, and number of burials at the site are unknown. The site is fenced with metal pipe fence, but overgrown so thick with brush that it is impossible to access the site.

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.