Hopewell Cemetery - Hunt County, TX
N 33° 10.725 W 096° 15.166
14S E 756156 N 3674465
Hopewell Cemetery is a badly neglected cemetery in rural Hunt County, slightly southeast of Merit. Estimate on the number of burials here is anywhere from about 170 to maybe 220, based on Findagrave numbers and a 2009 survey.
Waymark Code: WMNQ2N
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/16/2015
Views: 3
This cemetery is not easy to locate, as it's not visible from the road. Take US 380 from whichever direction, and then take FM 36 north towards Merit. As of this posting, there is a sign on the west side of FM 36 pointing towards Hunt CR 1116, where you'll turn east. There is a dirt track about seven-tenths of a mile down CR 1116, (
visit link) and you'll follow that north before it takes a turn to the east, where you'll be practically in front of the cemetery. Be careful to not take a vehicle in here if it's muddy, as you may be giving your GPS coordinates to the folks with the wreckers. It's not treacherous, but the grooves in the track are deep enough that they'll fill with water and pull you in. Throw a big bag of cat litter in the back of your car in case you need to throw something down to get traction if you get stuck.
The 2009 survey is available here, (
visit link) and visitors should heed their words: Beware of wildlife, be it dogs, snakes, or other critters, and it is easy to put a foot into one of the many burrows that's lurking below the brush. Wear sturdy clothes, and heavy gloves, bug spray, and a pair of pruners and/or a saw wouldn't be a bad idea. Outside the cemetery, you'll find all kinds of trash, some of which is starting to make its way into the cemetery.
The earliest burial appears to be that of William Carroll, who died May 28, 1872, and Byron Terry appears to be the last burial, as he died on September 9, 1946. Photos of both headstones are in the gallery.