Historic Cemetery

Laurel Cemetery

Texas
Location: Driving Directions:From SH 359/FM 649 junction west of Oilton, go 2.0 miles east on SH 359. Turn right onto unnamed, private drive just past sign for Lopez RV Park and go 0.1 mile south to cemetery. Cemetery is adjacent to RR tracks.This is a small, private, family cemetery. It is not accessible to the public. The cemetery is partly fenced, and it is maintained and active. No cemetery signs are posted. The cemetery contains four marked graves. The most recent burial occurred in 1997. Cemetery features include floral decorations, curbing, metal and plastic funeral markers, a veteran's marker, and a Virgin of Guadalupe statue.

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