Sunday, January 24, 2021

Exploring the Walsh Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas again.

The Walsh Cemetery is one of the many forgotten cemeteries of San Antonio and Bexar County. This news article will explore and explain some of the information and history behind Walsh Cemetery.


Walsh Cemetery was established on the Walsh Ranch south of San Antonio on Applewhite Road in 1875. The cemetery was only for burial of those who were related and/or a part of the Walsh family. Walsh Cemetery was a family cemetery. The cemetery was later expanded to include more rooms for graves in 1900. (Ref: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1597&context=ita)


Ed Walsh was the ranch owner of Walsh Ranch in 1975. The property was still in the hands of the original Spanish grant landowner family in 1975 and was Walsh Cemetery. Walsh Cemetery was a “closed cemetery” by then. This cemetery is located on private property and is off limits. (Ref: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1597)

Many of the tombstones were constructed out of local limestone and lime-adobe. Walsh Cemetery contains as many as 50 burials and included a chapel. The roof construction has collapsed and the walls are in poor condition. The cemetery may have been exposed to severe erosion from water action. The majority of the burials in the closed cemetery are those of tenant farmers who formerly worked the land. Many of the burials date back to the late 19th century.

There are said to be cholera burials from the 19th century inside Walsh Cemetery on the east end near Medina River off Applewhite Road. Just right north of the old Applewhite Road bridge. (Ref: https://historic.one/TX/bexar-county/historic-cemetery/cholera-burials)

Walsh Cemetery is located on Applewhite Road, San Antonio, Texas, US 78264.

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