| Marker Text |
With burials dating to 1852, this graveyard is associated with some of the earliest settlement in Denton County. In that year, Rebecca Daugherty, daughter of one of the pioneer families, died and was buried on family property. Over time, burials of neighbors and relatives continued on the site, and in 1909 the land was donated and dedicated as a private cemetery. Alton was the county seat of Denton County from 1851 until 1856. Located on Hickory Creek, the community flourished with stores, a hotel, post office, school and other businesses. Nearby is the Hickory Creek Baptist Church, organized in the Alton community in 1855. When the county seat was moved to Denton in 1856, Alton began to decline, but many families continued to bury their dead in this cemetery. The graveyard contains more than 600 burials, including 20 graves that are unmarked and 55 burials that are marked only with rocks or sandstone. Pioneers, veterans and others with ties to the old Alton community rest here. The Old Alton Memorial Cemetery Association cares for the graves and gathers annually in the spring for Decoration Day. As the area becomes more urban, the Old Alton Cemetery stands as a reminder of the region's rural past. (2002) |
