Angels Bas Relief - Fairview Cemetery Chapel - Gainesville, TX - Relief Art Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The angels are identified by their halos, although the wings of two of the three are visible, and they are wearing robes. The center angel's arms are outstretched, encouraging the visitor to "Enter", "Restand", and "Pray", with the angel to his right holding onto his arm. Their eyes are very striking, and the detail is in excellent condition given the age of the chapel.

There is a bronze memorial plate near one of the chapel doors, and it gives "1939" as the year of construction, dedicating the chapel to "Our loved ones who rest here". Presumably, the chapel was begun in 1938 and completed in 1939. It is slightly cross-shaped -- the arms of the cross are very uneven in size, giving the chapel an asymmetric character -- and is very Gothic, slightly compressed with a steep roof topped by a Celtic cross. A 1997 Texas Historical Marker references the chapel in the last paragraph:

Originally the Howeth family cemetery, this site traces its history to 1854, when a tornado struck the Howeth family cabin near Gainesville. First buried here were Thomas and Louisa Howeth, young children of William and Harriet Bell Howeth. William Howeth deeded the ten-acre cemetery to Cooke County in 1868. In 1878 the Cooke County commissioners turned over the site to the City of Gainesville in a 999-year lease. A city ordinance reserved a section for freedmen.

The cemetery's name was changed in 1897 to East Hill, and in 1904 the name was changed again to Fairview. A separate Jewish cemetery adjoined this site from 1881 until 1964 when the two graveyards were combined.

Among the estimated 18,000 graves are those of Civil War Veterans; Preston Conlee, a San Jacinto battle veteran and Bastrop County sheriff who lies in an unmarked grave; 34 victims of the 1918 influenza epidemic; Bob Scott, ex-slave and centenarian; and former U.S. Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey.

A chapel and sexton's office, designed by Dallas architect Will Scott Richter, was constructed in 1938 at a cost of $6,296. The arched gate dates to 1964. This Victorian-era cemetery continues to serve the city.

Your impression of the sculpture?: Date Sculpture was opened for vewing?: 01/01/1939 Where is this sculpture?: Fairview Cemetery 710 Fair Ave Gainesville, TX USA 76240 Sculptors Name: Unknown Website for sculpture?: Not listed

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