Greenwood Cemetery. A look at an Austin cemetery with rich history.

Enoch Martin, Sarah Elizabeth Martin, Ada Seeling Poston, and Andrew M. Davidson deeded land to S.G. Sneed, Travis County, City of Austin, and the Colorado Common School District for a school house to be built on in the year of 1874 along with land for a city cemetery which would later become the Greenwood Cemetery. 5.6 acres of land were deeded to Colorado Common School District in the same year by F. A. Maxwell and Andrew M. Davidson. (Ref: Travis County Public Records - Real Estate, Volume 1912, Page 464)

 

Greenwood Cemetery was established and plotted in 1882 on an amended ordinance. Alderman Wortham was paid $150 for surveying and mapping Greenwood Cemetery.

The cemeteries of Martin Family Cemetery and Greenwood Cemetery were plotted south of the Colorado School where Old Austin-Del Valle Road (Old Del Valle Road) served as the northeast boundary between separating the Martin Family Cemetery from the Greenwood Cemetery.Greenwood Cemetery is located directly south of the Martin Family Cemetery. Martin Family Cemetery is located 140 feet north of Greenwood Cemetery. Members of the Martin family are also buried in Greenwood Cemetery.

Applications for burial plots were submitted in 1883. One dozen applications were submitted for plots in Greenwood Cemetery from Citizens of Austin. The mayor made deeds to the applicants for plots in this cemetery. Other lots were eventually allocated and plotted. The roadways were widened the same year. This cemetery was fenced for the price of $242.83. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=87917)

Greenwood Cemetery Association was organized, chartered, and established in May 1906. It was during the committee meeting on the date of May 10, 1906 that the issue of acquiring more land for Greenwood Cemetery was introduced. One of the members was concerned about acquiring additional land. So a fundraising campaign was started. A Cemetery Committee was formed during that same day. 

 

In September of 1906, a committee meeting was held and a decision was made to purchase at least 3 1/2 acres for the cemetery. A month later, Greenwood Cemetery Association made decisions about how to sell cemetery lots. They decided to name the cemetery Greenwood Cemetery.

Greenwood Cemetery Association was formally incorporated in October 1906. This was done in order to be incorporated for deeds of sale. Over 4 acres were purchased in order to get an entrance below the Martin Family Cemetery. The name of the organization changed to the Ladies of the Cemetery Club and then to the Greenwood Cemetery Association. (Ref: https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/aushc/00652/ahc-00652.html)

Greenwood Cemetery became a city cemetery in 1907. One acre worth of land was purchased for more burial space in 1908. Other acres of land were eventually purchased from Ada Seeling Poston and Andrew M. Davidson in 1910.


On the date of May 25, 1954, Mr. S. W. Poston and Ada Seeling Poston submitted a petition signed by residents near Colorado School, asking that the City of Austin develop the remaining burial space at Greenwood Cemetery and maintain it as a perpetual care cemetery as it is now in the city limits. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=88250, Austin City Council Special Called Meeting, May 25, 1954)

After discussion, Councilman Long moved that the City Manager be asked to look into this and see about the feasibility of taking care of this particular proposition as these people have asked, and report back to the Council.

The motion, seconded by Councilman Shite, carried by the following vote:

Ayes:  Councilmen Long, Pearson, Thompson, White, Mayor McAden
Noes:  None




Mr. Tony Darva, president, Greenwood Cemetery Association, appeared before City Council in 1981 to discuss the right of way thought the 2 cemeteries. Those 2 cemeteries were adjacent to what was formerly known as Bergstrom Air Force Base (now Austin Bergstrom International Airport). (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=16453)

 

Greenwood Cemetery Association wished to keep a portion of Riverside Drive that comes off US 183 (US Highway 183) open as a public street. However Greenwood Cemetery Association did not have the money to maintain Riverside Drive. Greenwood Cemetery Association asked the City of Austin to keep Riverside Drive open as a public road and that the city maintain Riverside Drive and Dalton Lane.

A member of the Engineering Department decided that Riverside Drive will be maintained as a public right of way. Old Austin-Del Valle Road was closed and chained off in 1985. This split Greenwood Cemetery and Martin Family Cemetery in a diagonal cut. Dalton Lane was fenced off while a portion of Riverside Drive remained open. (The continuation of Riverside Drive goes right to the opening of the cemetery.)

Greenwood Cemetery Association listed Clayton Garrison as the successor of Greenwood Cemetery after Dorinnda Hill, Dulcie Dean, B J Culver, Wilbur A Ray, and Tony Darva on cemetery deed from 1995. (Ref: Travis County Public Records - Real Estate, Volume 12577, Page 108)

 

Today Greenwood Cemetery operates as a public cemetery owned by the Greenwood Cemetery Association and City of Austin to this day. ABIA staff and Homeland Security patrol both cemeteries on a daily basis. Greenwood Cemetery Association still provides upkeep and maintenance for the cemetery.

 

Greenwood Cemetery is located at 1927 Old Lockhart Road, Austin, Texas, US 78742. Just northwest of Austin Bergstrom International Airport at the corner of US 183 & SH 71.