Location: Mt. Zion Church Cem, SunnysideAKA New Mt. Zion Cem, Sunnyside--Recorded WALL03—Parsons. Direct of Cems in Waller Co, 1977/1992: “Tom Sterling, a white man, gave 4 acres of land for a church, school and cem. Land on S side of Orange Creek. … In 1923 grave digging problem to prevent burial over old bodies. Plans to select new cem, preferred sandy soil. … In 1924 new land found. R. S. Jackson offered 4 acres for $220. Families contributed $5 each and paid Jackson. A deed drawn but no record. New Mt. Zion located near S intersection of Sunnyside, Mt. Zion Road, Jackson estate, J. Blacknell-Elie Pryar estate and Orange Creek on S, Silas Knowles and Allex Palmer on W. First burial in new cem was 1970. Websites for Waller Co Hist & TexHist Cem: “S of the crossing of Sunnyside & Mt. Zion Rds, USGS map*, map, TxDoT.” GNIS on Sunny Side map.THC site visit 4/30/04. S side of intersection of Mt. Zion Rd and Sunnyside Rd. Fenced, ell-shaped formal site. Maintained. Diversity of formal markers, some informal. Also a few brick vaults, curbs, slabs. Retaining wall family plot. Standard and locally caste markers. Marker trees of Cedar, Pecan, Chinaberry. Also Crape Myrtle, Lilies, Irises. Low endangerment: maintained, fenced, recent burials. GPS 29.53.13.539N –96.04.00.701W.
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.