At more than 150 years old, Sand Hill Cemetery in Simms is now the fourth Bowie County burial area to receive the designation of a Historic Texas Cemetery.
This distinction made by the Texas Historical Commission ensures the cemetery's preservation.
"What this means, this cemetery is less likely to fall into disrepair, become neglected or endangered," state Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, said at the designation ceremony Tuesday.
"Cemeteries are our most valuable, cultural resources because they reveal information about historic events, religion, lifestyles and genealogy," he said.
The Texas Historical Commission is a state agency that helps preserve the historical value of the state's cultural resources.
This particular designation is reserved for cemeteries that are at least 50 years old. Sand Hill is more than 150 years old.
Documentation is also a requisite, and thanks to the Sand Hill Cemetery Association, this piece of property now has its place in Texas history.
The other three cemeteries with the historical designation in Bowie County are Redwater African American Community Cemetery, the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Texarkana and the McCurry Baker Community Graveyard in Wamba, also known as the Old Wamba Cemetery.
Plans to achieve this certification were begun three years by Dwight Byrd of Simms.
He and the other members of the Sand Hill Cemetery Association have worked diligently to map the area and collect the names of all who are buried there although there are several unmarked graves as well.
"Records indicate that the first graves in this cemetery were unmarked and were there before the organization of the church," said Bowie County Judge James Carlow, a speaker at the event.
"The first land was deeded in 1861 for the church and the cemetery. Needless to say Sand Hill is one of the oldest cemeteries in Bowie County, if not the oldest.
"Just to give some perspective, in 1861 the Civil War started. Texarkana was not yet named. There was no railroad, no telegraph, no telephone there was no newspaper closer than Jefferson, Texas."
Carlyn Hammonds of the Texas Historical Commission said that out of all 254 Texas counties, there are about 2,000 cemeteries with the historical designation and at least one in every county.
The largest number are listed in Harris County, which is the Houston area.
"We have some that are just a single grave, an isolated grave. Then we have others that are very large municipal cemeteries that are many, many acres," she said.
The Sand Hill Cemetery Association is proud and pleased to now have its designation.
Some said it feels like it gives them a purpose.
"That's actually one of the reasons the designation is so important," Hammonds said. "For a lot of the groups and cemetery associations, it injects a little bit of life into the organization where maybe there hasn't been a lot of activity. They feel like they are all working toward the same goal.
"And, it usually means that other good things happen for the cemetery as well."
One benefit of having the distinction is that it creates a renewed interest in the cemetery, which brings more people who want to be involved in its preservation.
Burl Minter, Sand Hill Cemetery Association president, accepted both a Texas state flag from VanDeaver-that had flown over the Austin capitol for the special purpose of this ceremony-and a spacial plaque from Carlow commemorating the event.
Minter introduced the man responsible for seeing this designation through-Dwight Byrd.
"He's the one who came up with the plan for this to become a historic cemetery," Minter said. "He's what I call a wonderer. Not one who wanders from town to town but wonders why we can't do something, then he goes out and does it. He's persevered for three years to get this done."
Included in the large crowd who attended the ceremony were family members of some of those buried there, members of the Sand Hill Cemetery Association and others interested in the preservation of the old cemetery.
Pat Minter, Melda Payne and Donna Stotts of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas were also in attendance. Their organization is interested in the preservation of Texas cemeteries.