Historic Cemetery

Upchurch Cemetery

1804 Navajo Song Lane, Leander, Texas 78641
Location: Driving Directions:From SH 29/US 183 junction at Seward Junction, go 2.7 miles east on SH 29. Turn right at CR 268 and go 0.3 mile south-east. Turn right onto CR 267 and go 0.9 mile west-south. Turn left into private driveway of Wedemeyer Ranch. After crossing cattle guard at entrance, turn right and follow ranch road approx. 0.3 mile south. Turn left and go 0.1 mile east. Turn right and go 1.0 mile south-east-south to cemetery on right (west) side of ranch road.The cemetery, which contains five marked graves, is highly endangered. It is a map feature, but is located in a very remote area on private property. There are no cemetery signs posted, and it is not accessible to the public. The cemetery is located in a heavily wooded area and may not be accessible by automobile. The cemetery is threatened by erosion and neglect.Note: Due to heavy vegetation, the GPS was not functioning during this survey. The GPS coordinates on page 1 of this form were derived from the feature location on the USGS topographic map.

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