Evergreen Cemetery

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Evergreen Cemetery, out here in Galveston County. Settle in, because this one starts with a man drawing lines in the dirt and ends with a community that refused to let go of its dead. In 1890, Henry J.

Runge laid out the town of Arcadia at the site of a railroad depot on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad, near a spot already known as Hall's Station. A town takes root, and a town, sooner or later, needs a place to put its people to rest. Sometime between 1890 and 1897, Evergreen Cemetery was established to serve that growing community of Arcadia.

The first person known to be buried there was Susan Carswell Sims, who died in 1897. Now that's the kind of detail that stops you cold, doesn't it. A name.

A year. A woman who became, in some quiet and permanent way, part of the foundation of a place. The years rolled on.

By 1906, the community had organized itself enough to form the Evergreen Cemetery Association, with J. L. Polinard, R.

H. Romine, and S. A.

Franks serving as the original trustees. That same year, the cemetery was granted a state charter. And in 1907, Henry Runge, the very man who had drawn Arcadia into existence back in 1890, deeded the two-acre Evergreen Cemetery plot to the association.

At that time, the cemetery held thirteen known gravesites. Between 1906 and 1949, at least forty-seven people are known to have been buried there. At least forty-seven.

That phrase does its own kind of quiet work. Then comes 1956, and the charter was not renewed. You might think that's where the story ends.

It isn't. The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce stepped in, led a successful effort for renewal, and by 1958 the charter was back in force. Under that new charter, the cemetery's purpose was something plainly stated and plainly human: to provide a burial place for indigent residents of Arcadia.

The last person buried in Evergreen Cemetery was Josephine Short, in 1958. And then, in 1972, Arcadia volunteers restored the grounds, and Galveston County constructed a road to the cemetery. A road.

Because some places are worth finding, and some communities make sure you can get there.

What the marker says

In 1890 Henry J. Runge laid out the town of Arcadia at the site of a railroad depot on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad near here known as Hall's Station. Sometime between 1890 and 1897, Evergreen Cemetery was established to serve the growing community of Arcadia. The first person known to be buried here was Susan Carswell Sims (d. 1897). The Evergreen Cemetery Association was formed in 1906; J. L. Polinard, R. H. Romine, and S. A. Franks were the original trustees. That same year the cemetery was granted a state charter and in 1907 Henry Runge deeded the 2-acre Evergreen Cemetery plot to the association. At that time the cemetery contained 13 known gravesites. Between 1906 and 1949 at least 47 people are known to have been buried here. When the charter was not renewed in 1956 the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce stepped in and led a successful effort for its renewal in 1958. The purpose of the cemetery under the new charter was to provide a burial place for indigent residents of Arcadia. The last person buried in Evergreen Cemetery was Josephine Short in 1958. Grounds restoration by Arcadia volunteers and construction of a road to the cemetery by Galveston County were completed in 1972.