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Located across Grove Street from Wharton Cemetery, this historic burial ground is the final resting place for many of Wharton’s early Hispanic citizens. In February 1925, D.A. Dickson conveyed 1.5 acres to the Mexican Cemetery Association for the site; however, the cemetery was already active for several years prior to the transaction. From the 1920s to 1973, most Hispanic burials took place here, as it was the only Hispanic cemetery designated in the city. Wharton’s cemeteries were segregated, as in many cities, with separate cemeteries for Hispanic, African American and Caucasian residents. Most burials since the 1970s have taken place at Evergreen Memorial Park.
With more than 500 burials, the cemetery reflects the varied and rich heritage of the community and the state. Through Juan Pedro Cabrera (c. 1680-1730), some interred here are descended from Canary Islanders who helped settle San Antonio. Others were among the early generations in Wharton. The cemetery is somewhat separated by decade and burial type. Infants and children buried in the 1920s and 1930s are located in the rear of the cemetery, while adults and children from the 1950s to 1973 are mostly on the north half. Headstones in the cemetery are primarily granite, along with many in concrete and wood and some featuring inscriptions in Spanish. Not all graves are marked, with the possibility that some burials exist outside the fence boundary. Today this sacred ground continues to be a precious chronicle of family and memory. |
