Historic Cemetery

Old Salem Baptist Church Cemetery

Center, Texas 75935
Location: Old Salem Cemetery SOURCE McXie W. Martin, 1993: Over Shelby Co line, not in SA Co. but used by SA Co residents. USGS MAP shows on county line, access from N off FM 711.THC site visit MB 7-13-05 w/ K Skillern: FM 711 N over Shelby Co line, turn SE on CR 1297, S to church and cemetery. Old Salem Church at bend in road, THC marker, on knoll above both Old Salem Cemetery and the Salem Cemetery Annex, on E side of FM 1297. Old Salem Cemetery is large fenced formal site with unique white sand, scraped earth throughout cemetery, except for far corner with scatterd commercial markers. Distinct traditional white sand and mounding of all graves. One grave house, obelisks, limestone and marble. Abundant floral and decorative grave materials. US veterans. WoW.Old Salem Baptist Church Cemetery. Approx 2.43 acres. SA-C165. Shelby-San Augustine county line. GPS 31.38.25.62644N –94.15.01.09090W. USGS 3194-424. © RIP Survey, Texas Historical Commission.Low risk endangerment, fenced, maintained, associated THC marker, associated church, still in use, on map.

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