Clean-up of San Jose II Cemetery in action. Progress is being made.

Work at San Jose II cemetery continues. The first ever public clean-up of the long neglected and overlooked San Jose II Cemetery, located between Posten Road and Ella Lane at 2512 Hoeke Lane, was organized on October 23, 2021 from 8 am to 1 pm. The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship in tandem with the Montopolis Neighborhood CDC sponsored a community clean-up of the long neglected San Jose II Cemetery on October 23, 2021.

StarBucks, Torchy’s Tacos, and HEB have teamed up with The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship to undertake this massive cemetery clean-up. Home Depot partnered with The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship to provide equipment. StarBucks and Torchy’s Tacos partnered up with the group to provide food and drinks for volunteers.


The first phase of cemetery clean-up has begun. Cleanup involved removing litter, gravestone positioning, and cutting branches. Branches and limbs were cut. Paths were cleared out. Removal of liter was done. Apparently illegal dumping has been occurring inside of this cemetery for decades. A fence extending along the east side of San Jose Cemetery II was erected by Live Oak Development. 

 

A call to Austin Energy and City of Austin led to a clearing under their power lines - resulting in the original cemetery fence being exposed. The good neighbors at Austin Fence helped clear Ella Lane to facilitate access for Saturday’s cemetery cleanup.

The debris pile which the adjacent development had created and had moved into the cemetery has been removed and cleaned up by machine. Trash from the adjacent development and neighbors was remved. This is the first time in a long time maintenance has been performed right by the adjacent development.

However San Jose II Cemetery needs another cleanup as there is still trash on the 4.5 acre cemetery property that has not been removed. The cemetery is in such disrepair and has been for many decades. Heavy debris such as mattresses, car batteries, and frames need to be removed from the property. There is still work to be done.

A new board of trustees has been officially established for the ownership of San Jose Cemetery II. Under agreement with the Montopolis Neighborhood CDC, the Trustees of the San Jose Cemeterio (San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship) has now formally been created. San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship has expressed their desire to reopen this cemetery for new burials in the future. Their plan is to reopen San Jose Cemetery II for new burials again for the Montopolis community. The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship is the guardianship and trusteeship of and who owns San Jose II Cemetery. Eventual cleanup and restoration work will soon follow.

The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship is making efforts to preserve this long abandoned and neglected part of Austin’s history and culture. San Jose Cemetery II serves as the final resting place for Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the Montopolis community.

The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship is encouraging community volunteers who have yard care tools to help clean this cemetery. The San Jose Cemeterio Trusteeship currently has about 20 community volunteers and are looking for volunteers to help clean San Jose II Cemetery. Want to get involved? Please spread the news and bring others with you. Community involvement is essential. Positive changes on the horizon as more attention is brought to San Jose II Cemetery.