“What stories lie beneath these grounds?” This question lingers as we gather around the Greenwood Cemetery Plaque. This marker commemorates a place of rest and remembrance. It also marks a significant piece of Dallas history.
The Greenwood Cemetery, established as Trinity Cemetery in 1875, holds stories of Dallas’s past. Susan Bradford was the first burial here that March. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Dallas. The cemetery sits next to the Emanu-El Cemetery, the Calvary Cemetery, and the Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial.
Originally, the area was farmland far from town. But by 1896, the cemetery fell into disrepair. A local observer noted the broken fences and roaming cattle. Wagons even used the main street as a thoroughfare. This neglect led to the formation of the Greenwood Cemetery Association. The association took over maintenance and gave the cemetery its current name.
Many notable figures rest in Greenwood Cemetery. Jacob Boll was a naturalist and entomologist. John Henry Brown was a newspaper publisher and Texas legislator. Robert Emmet Burke served as a US Congressman. William Lewis Cabell was a mayor of Dallas and Confederate army general. These individuals shaped Dallas and Texas history.
The Greenwood Cemetery also serves as the final resting place for other notable figures. Benjamin Long was an earlier mayor of Dallas. William Stewart Simkins was believed to have fired the first shot of the Civil War. Christopher Columbus Slaughter was a rancher, banker, and philanthropist. J. M. Thurmond was an attorney and mayor of Dallas. John H. Traylor was a politician and mayor of Dallas. Alexander White was a US Congressman from Alabama. Frank W. Wozencraft was a mayor of Dallas.
The Greenwood Cemetery is more than just a burial ground. It reflects the city’s evolution from farmland to a thriving urban center. In the 1940s, Dallasites enjoyed visiting Greenwood to see the 3,000 flowering redbud and 300 white-flower peach trees.
Today, the Greenwood Cemetery is a place of quiet reflection. It reminds us of the lives and legacies of those who came before us. The Greenwood Cemetery Plaque is a testament to the enduring history. It is a reminder of the people who shaped Dallas into the city it is today. The Texas Historical Commission designated it as such in 1976. It is a tribute to their contributions and sacrifices. As we stand here, let us remember those who rest in Greenwood Cemetery. Let their stories inspire us.