Historic Cemetery

Wilson Cemetery

Mansfield Rd, Grand Prairie, Texas 75052
Location: Driving Directions:From IH 20E, go 1.35 miles south on S. Great Southwest Pkwy then 1.6 miles south on Lake Ridge Pkwy. At first Lynn Creek Park entrance go right (east) though gate and follow abandoned road for approximately 0.5 mile. The road will veer sharply to the left (south). The cemetery is approximately 150 east of the abandoned road.This cemetery is highly endangered. It has a historical marker, but it is not a map feature or maintained (e.g., a large tree had fallen across the cemetery fence). The cemetery is in a very remote location and hard to find without USACE assistance. I could not enter the actual cemetery, because the gate key had been lost. A park ranger also informed me that the area is prone to flooding from Joe Pool Lake.

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.

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