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Historical
Marker Text
Riverside
Cemetery
This municipal
burial ground dates back to the early days of settlement in Wichita
Falls. The area was sparsely settled before tracks of the Fort
Worth and Denver City Railroad reached here in September 1882. Citizens
received a state charter for the Wichita Falls Cemetery Association
in April 1885. The following year, R.E. Montgomery, trustee of the
Panhandle Townsite Company, sold a plat of land for two dollars in
the city’s Bellevue Addition to be used as a cemetery. Joseph Kemp
was president of the cemetery association, who sold the property to
the city of Wichita
Falls in 1892 for one dollar. The name Riverside indicating the
graveyard’s location near the Wichita River, became the official name
around this time.
African American citizens organized the “Riverside Colored Burial
Association,” and in 1906 the city sold the association a half-acre
on Riverside’s northwest corner. Hundreds of burials took place in
that section, although today few grave markers remain. Improvement
to Riverside over the years included a chapel, iron fencing and gates,
landscaping and street paving.
Significant individuals buried here include Minnie Mae Kemp Adickes
(1874-1931), the city’s first female realtor, and also a contractor
for hundreds of homes; James V. Allred (1899-1959), Attorney General
and Governor of Texas and federal judge; Joseph H. Barwise (1829-1927),
pioneer settler, county judge and community leader known as “The Father
of Wichita Falls”; Frank
Kell (1859-1941), businessman, banker and entrepreneur; Joseph
Kemp (1861-1930), developer of area railroads, oil fields and irrigation;
and many other important citizens. The cemetery features prominent
statuary, mausoleums, and carved monuments.
Historic Texas Cemetery – 2007 |
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Riverside Cemetery Historical Marker
Photo courtesy David
Cole |
Filix
L. Lindsey Historical Marker
Photo courtesy David
Cole |
Frank
Kell Historical Marker
Photo courtesy David
Cole |
Photographer's
Note:
"For New Year's Day, we went to Wichita
Falls. There's some nifty architecture up that way! I notice Barclay
Gibson already has several "around town" shots posted but you
don't have any of the cemetery (Riverside). One of the more interesting
aspects to me was that they actually posted a "map" of the plots outside
their office. " - David
Cole |
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Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered
and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local
history, stories, and vintage/historic photos, please
contact
us.
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