Historic Cemetery

Parker Cemetery

Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From IH-820E take the SH 10 exit. Proceed east on W. Hurst Blvd (SH 10) to Arcadia St. Turn left at Arcadia St. and go 0.05 miles north. At Cardinal Rd., turn left (west) and go 0.1 mile. The Parker Cemetery and I.D. Parker are on the south side of the road.The cemetery has two historical subject markers: 1) Parker Cem. 2) I. D. Parker Public Cemetery and Homestead.Parker Family and I. D. Parker Public are adjacent cemeteries separated by a chain link fence. The Parker Family Cemetery is fully fenced, but the entrance gate is missing. The I. D. Parker Public is fenced on three sides and has no entrance gate. The cemeteries are maintained and are map features. However, vandalism appears to have been a problem in the past and will likely continue to be a problem due to the easy accessibility and suburban setting of the cemeteries. Many of the older, inscribed headstones in the Parker Family cemetery have been shattered or are displaced. The I. D. Parker Public cemetery has many unmarked graves and graves marked with fieldstones. Some of the fieldstones have been displaced.

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