Shapefile
Tags
Cemeteries, grave, historical, commission, graveyard
This layer contains the location of cemeteries within the state of Texas. This polygon file was designed for large scale thematic mapping and analysis.
The spatial data were obtained from the Texas Historical Commission and are current as of 2013. Attributes were modified to include only name, type, location, identification number, area, and other information. The coordinate system of this data is WGS 1984.
"The purpose of this dataset is to help in the inventory and preservation of historic Cemeteries. Cemeteries are among the most valuable of historic resources. They are reminders of various settlement patterns, such as villages, rural communities, urban centers and ghost towns. Cemeteries can reveal information about historic events, religion, lifestyles and genealogy. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) provides guidelines to aid in the preservation of these important historic resources. Cemeteries are like open history books whose pages are tablets of stone. Historians consult cemetery records to confirm past events. Sometimes there is no other recorded information about an area except what can be found in cemeteries. Each one provides clues about the people who settled an area." - THC
Center for Geospatial Technology, Texas Tech University Texas Historical Commission
There are no access and use limitations for this item.
Extent
| West | -106.619666 | East | -93.572020 |
| North | 36.478987 | South | 25.849418 |
| Maximum (zoomed in) | 1:5,000 |
| Minimum (zoomed out) | 1:150,000,000 |
Center for Geospatial Technology, Texas Tech University Texas Historical Commission
Cementeries for the Texas Historical Commission
MAP
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Coordinates defining the features.
Internal feature number.
Esri
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Area of feature in internal units squared.
Esri
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
Feature geometry.
Esri
Coordinates defining the features.
Feature geometry.
Esri
Coordinates defining the features.
Cementery Number
MAP
Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
Area of feature in internal units squared.
Esri
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
What method or agency is the source of the geometry and attributes for a feature
MAP
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Coordinates defining the features.
Length of feature in internal units.
Esri
Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.
The purpose of this dataset is to help in the inventory and preservation of historic Cemeteries. Cemeteries are among the most valuable of historic resources. They are reminders of various settlement patterns, such as villages, rural communities, urban centers and ghost towns. Cemeteries can reveal information about historic events, religion, lifestyles and genealogy. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) provides guidelines to aid in the preservation of these important historic resouces. Cemeteries are like open history books whose pages are tablets of stone. Historians consult cemetery records to confirm past events. Sometimes there is no other recorded information about an area except what can be found in cemeteries. Each one provides clues about the people who settled an area.Cemeteries tell us about the ethnic background of people, their occupations, how long they lived and, sometimes, what caused their deaths. They provide us with insights into cultural practices and beliefs. Some monuments are simple ? a slab of wood or a carved piece of concrete with a name and dates scratched in. Others are elaborate sculptures. Cemeteries are a nonrenewable resource. Their survival is constantly threatened by expanding urban areas, vandalism, removal of headstones, theft of objects such as benches, gates and statuary, neglect and lack of fences to keep cattle from toppling headstones. If not cared for, these reminders of early settlements could be lost forever.This layer was created by downloading the Cemeteries shapefile from the THC database. The file was transfomed from NAD 83 to WGS 84.
This high resolution polygon vector file outlines the cemeteries surveyed by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) plus the ones recorded by USGS. The data, current as of 2013, was downloaded from the THC database and processed further by the TTU CGST.
The cemetery guidelines include these topics:
Cemetery Laws
State Antiquities Code
Federal 106 Laws
Protection for Historic Cemeteries
Cemetery Restoration
How to Clean Stone
The Historic Texas Cemetery Designation
The guidelines also include a sample cemetery survey form to help you document any historic cemetery.
Read about Developing a Master Preservation Plan for a Historic Cemetery.
For more information, contact the THC's Cemetery Coordinator. Printed formats of the guidelines are available upon request.
ground condition
Check with the THC
Check with the THC
When used, give credit to the THC
Depending on the source, attributes were given in the name of data source. When duplicated polygons were found, the one with Cementery number was prefered over ones with out attributes. If Polygons were found without attributes, in most of the cases the point file with the vertexes output of the pfo file had the attributes and they were conflated to the polygon in study.
Depending on the source, attributes were given in the name of data source.
When duplicated polygons were found, the one with Cementery number was prefered over ones with out attributes. If Polygons were found without attributes, in most of the cases the point file with the vertexes output of the pfo file had the attributes and they were conflated to the polygon in study.
Every folder and file in the GPS_IN directory was imported in ArcMap, projected and then search for duplicates. Topology rules were set and intersections detected. In some cases older cemeteries may lay underneath newer cemeteries and a decision was made not to fix the topology in those cases. This decision was made in a case by case basis.
Every folder and file in the GPS_IN directory was imported in ArcMap, projected and then search for duplicates. This does not guarantee that all the cementeries in Texas is included in this dataset, only those surveyed by THC or previously recorded by USGS
The horizontal accuracy is GPS dependent. Greater accuracy is expected fromtrimble equipment than from cheaper recreational units.
The accuracy of the recreational units used.
Some cementeries were derived from 1;24,000 USGS Topographic maps or its digital equivalent (DLGs).
The Garmin surveyed cementeries are expected to have an accuracy of at least 10 mts.
The Trimble surveyed cementeries are expected to have an accuracy of at least 3mts.
Import data from PFO files from diferent directories in the GPS_IN filder
Import data from Geomedia
Import data from Garmin as points, create an ellipse around them and when confident of boundaries, edit the elipse to conform to the infered boundaries if the cementary as photointerpreted in the DOQs. All polygons modified were flagged as Photorevised = YES in the attributes.
Import data from USGS
Check for projections and define them by comparing the datasets with DOQs (2004) of known projection
Create topology and import the shapefiles to a geodatabase
Verify topology rules, edit and clean polygons
Create and edit metadata
Metadata imported.
As defined by THC
Get approval in writing by THC and agreement before trying to use or distribute this data