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Pine
Springs Cemetery Path
TE photo, January 2010
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History in
a Pecan Shell
A
town without much of chance, Oso preceded the railroad
and once the railroad
arrived the town was bypassed in favor of Flatonia.
Like many communities in Fayette
County, the original Anglo land grantees were eager to sell to
immigrants, thinking they’d be able to by more acreage “out west.”
No one is sure of how it acquired a Spanish name (Oso is Spanish for
Bear), but the fledgling town managed to squeak by – producing small
crops of cotton and cutting firewood
for the railroad. Even if it had not been bypassed, the closeness
to Flatonia would’ve
made growth unlikely, if not impossible.
Nevertheless, Oso once had three stores and a post office (in operation
from 1858 to 1874. See postmark). The
railroad was the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway
and after its arrival, Oso’s residents and businesses moved to Flatonia.
Only the Pine Springs Cemetery and school were left to mark the town.
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On one stone
a young mother cradles her two children in her arms.
TE photo, January 2010
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The Pine Springs
Cemetery
Directions:
Just N of I-10 and off of FM 906 on Pine Springs Road.
The cemetery of Pine Springs served the community of Oso. It appears
to have been well cared-for at one time. A row of cedars lines the
path and two small stone bridges were built over wet weather streams.
A lych gate is barely standing due to rot. Visitation is made difficult
by a thick undergrowth of privet.
Most tombstones are broken and there is evidence that the area is
“in use” as a rendezvous for teenagers. The tombstones vary in craftsmanship
– from simple uncut slabs of river rock to hand-carved stones reminiscent
of New England graveyards.
A few mollusk shells were present but no graves were found to be
totally encrusted with them – a common tradition in 19th and early
20th century Texas cemeteries.
The oldest graves date to the late 1860s and the most famous person
to have been buried here was William Menefee, a signer of the Texas
Declaration of Independence. In 1936 the graves of Menefee and his
wife were exhumed and re-interred in the State
Cemetery at Austin.
UPDATE
Subject: Oso Texas Graveyard
I enjoyed your
listing for Oso Texas and went out to visit myself. I got some additional
photos of the graveyard which may be of interest.
You may want to update the listing to incorporate the info that
this graveyard is a known hangout for rowdy teens and as such law
enforcement keep an eye on visitors. - Brian Milliron, October 20,
2010
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A Broken Tombstone
TE photo, January 2010
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Another broken
tombstone.
TE photo, January 2010
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Yet another.
TE photo, January 2010
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"....reminiscent
of New England tombstones."
TE photo, January 2010
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Another inscription.
TE photo, January 2010
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| Photo
courtesy Brian Milliron, August 2010 |
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Photo
courtesy Brian Milliron, August 2010
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Pine Springs
Cemetery Bridge
TE photo,
January 2010
More Texas Bridges
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Near Oso / Pine
Springs
TE photo, January 2010
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Bull and cow
near Oso / Pine Springs.
TE photo,
January 2010
See Texas
Animals
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Fayette
County map showing Oso
Modification of Texas General Land Office 1920s map |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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