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ALLEYTON — The Texas Historical Commission has recognized Alley Cemetery as a significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors Alley Cemetery as an important and educational part of local history.
A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held on April 6 at 11 a.m. at Alley Cemetery from Interstate 10 in Alleyton, take FM 102 south 3.2 miles and turn right on Tower Road and go one mile on private property. Speakers for the afternoon will include Carlyn Copeland Hammons, Cemetery Preservation Program Specialist — Texas Historical Commission, Regena Williamson, Chair — Colorado County Historical Commission, Inez Alley Matura, Shelly Lee Alley Jr. and Chad Alley, Administrator of Alley Cemetery. The Colorado County Historical Commission welcomes the public to share in and witness this exciting historical event.
“The Official Texas Historical Marker program helps bring attention to community treasures and the importance of their preservation,” executive director of the THC Edward Lengel said, “Awareness and education are among the best ways to guarantee the preservation of our state’s history. This designation is a tool that will increase public awareness of important cultural resources,” Lengel said.
A subject qualifies for a marker if two basic criteria are met: historical significance and age. Historical significance is established by reviewing its role and importance in local history, and the age requirement depends on the topic. The THC’s Official Texas Marker Policies are outlined in the Official Texas Historical Marker Procedures, which may be obtained by contacting the History Programs Division, Texas Historical Commission, at 512-463-5853 or visiting the web site at www.thc.texas.gov.
“Some of the oldest Texas pioneers are buried in Alley Cemetery. The earliest recorded dates are from 1831. To give you some perspective, according to the Diary of William Barret Travis, Travis visited the Alley’s in October of 1833 and examined the will and estate and wrote the petition for the admission of the heirs for both John Millar and Rawson Alley, two of my ancestors that are buried here,” cemetery administrator Chad Alley said, “The area was a burial ground before it became an official cemetery by the state in 1881 and we’re excited to add the Historical Texas Cemetery Marker that it long deserves,” Alley said.
There are three types of Texas Historical Markers. Subject markers are posted solely for public education awareness and awarded more frequently than the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, which is a legal designation for historic structures and comes with a measure of protection. Unlike subject markers, the RTHL must also meet a third criterion — architectural integrity. Historic Texas Cemetery markers identify cemeteries which have obtained the HTC designation and whose histories have been researched in detail. Texas has the largest marker program in the United States with approximately 15,000 markers. Seventeen states have used the Texas program as a model; the THC reviews more than 300 marker applications each year.
