Cemeteries receive historic overlay recognition

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

Two of the most historic areas in Mansfield finally got their recognition last fall.

The Mansfield Cemetery and the Mansfield Community Cemetery, both with graves dating back to the 19th Century, were recognized with a historic landmark overlay as official Mansfield landmarks.

“They are very important historical resources for Mansfield,” said Art Wright, senior planner and the city’s historic preservation officer. “This puts protections in place and keeps things from happening to them. If they wanted to put a cell tower in the middle of the cemetery, they couldn’t because it’s a historic landmark. If the state of Texas wanted to put a highway through the cemetery, they couldn’t.”

The two cemeteries are adjacent on Burl Ray Road, and will remain separate and be managed by their respective cemetery associations, Wright said. The Mansfield Cemetery was originally where the white people buried their dead, while the Mansfield Community Cemetery was for Black residents. The cemeteries were divided by a fence for more than a hundred years. The fence has been removed.

“Some know the less than tasteful history,” said Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans. “We are living in a different day. The two cemeteries are working together. We remember not too long ago it was a pipe dream. No one would have thought that this would have happened.”

The overlay district will give the cemeteries an opportunity to work together to apply for grants, too, Evans and Wright said.

“We would like a project to map the cemetery to show the unmarked graves,” Wright said. “The estimate for both cemeteries was $27,000. There are more unmarked graves in the community cemetery than marked graves.”

Repairs are also needed.

“There are broken headstones in both cemeteries,” Wright said. “We can’t just superglue them back together. Both of them have shattered headstones.

Paula McKay, president of the Mansfield Cemetery Association, says the overlay is a good thing for both cemeteries.

“I think it’s the answer to it all,” she said. “One should take care of the other. When we laid the flags out for Fourth of July, we put out 400 flags. There are no boundaries anymore. We all put them out. I think it will protect both cemeteries in the future.”

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