Historic Cemetery

New Prospect Cemetery

FM1645, Tenaha, Texas 75974
Location: Take Highway 87 North from the intersection of Highway 96 and 87 in Center, for 8.4 miles. Turn right on FM Road 1645 for 1.8 miles. The Cemetery is on the left side of the road next to the New Prospect Methodist Church (see http://www.shelbycountytexashistory.net/Shelby/cem_pics/cem_newprospect.htm).

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