Pioneer Rest Cemetery -- Menard TX
N 30° 54.648 W 099° 47.351
14R E 424588 N 3419983
Menard's historic Pioneer rest cemetery is located along the US 83 in Menard
Waymark Code: WMTVC7
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/09/2017
Views: 3
Pioneer Rest is one of the oldest if not the oldest cemetery in Menard. Its walls are made of stones reputedly from the ruins of the Spanish Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas which was built near Menard in the 1750s.
A state historic marker at the cemetery reads as follows:
"PIONEER REST
Burial plot was begun by Adam Bradford, who buried his father, Jack Bradford, here in 1863. As the town and cemetery grew, the city bought the tract from Mrs. Gustav E. Schleicher in 1904.
Fence surrounding cemetery was built of stone from the old courthouse and jail, razed in 1931, and reputed to have been in the original structure of nearby San Luis de Las Amarillas (Built by the Spanish in 1757).
Final resting place for many area pioneers, including soldiers, cowboys, gamblers, preachers, civil war veterans, Indian fighters, and Texas Rangers. (1973)"
The day Blasterz visited, we estimated there are about 1000 people buried here. We can't help but compare and contrast this cemetery with the first cemetery in town we visited, Sacred Heart Cemetery: (
visit link)
Like so many small Texas towns, Menard was clearly segregated, in life and in death.