Location: Hopewell Church CemeteryTHC site visit 7-24-03 MB: Rheburg, Tx area, Rehburg Road, SW of SH 36 N. On Rehburg Rd at old church site. Approx 1 mile W from intersection of Rehburg Rd and FM 1948. NW side of road. Large cemetery area with scattered formal burials, some shaded in groves of trees and shrubs.. Hopewell Church Cemetery:Large marked graves scattered over approximately 2.48 acres. L-shaped, with dense tree growth at fence lines. Adjacent church no longer occupied, in some disrepair. Two outhouses behind church. Formal markers, abundant and recent floral and decorative grave materials. Frequent use of Black Jack tree planted at headstone as marker tree. Graves seem to mostly face Southeast, although some appear to face West. Some graves shaded within copses of original and free-growth trees and Crape Myrtles. Site appears to have been brush-hog mowed during summer season, but tall Blue Stem grasses scattered through area obscures some masonry carnes. Nearby subdivisions, Westridge and Lakeview.Approx 2.48 acres. GPS 30.17.07.14318N –96.31.45.04549WQuad 3096-241Moderate risk of endangerment: Nearby state park and subdivision developments. Associated church no longer in use, gravesites somewhat obscured by tall Johnson grass; subdivision developments along Rheberg Rd, proximity to Lake Sommerville and recreational area. However, grave materials indicate frequent visitation.
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.