Spirits of Oakwood, Tyler TX 3/27/2010

Spirits of Oakwood Cemetery Tour

The annual "Spirits of Oakwood" Cemetery Tour, sponsored by the Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee, is scheduled for March 27 at Tyler's Texas Historic Cemetery, located at the corner of Oakwood and Palace streets.

Tour guides will lead groups through the cemetery, stopping at designated graves to see and hear that person "come to life," Committee spokesperson Maxine Herbst said.

"Oakwood is the final resting place to many of Tyler's early settlers, war veterans, politicians and some individuals with intriguing stories. The event is intended to be entertaining and historical," she said.

The tours start at 1 p.m., and the last tour will start at 4:30 p.m. Tours begin every 15 minutes.

The cost is $6 per person; children under age 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

Proceeds from the event are used for the repair of old grave markers that have been broken or damaged. For information, call Mrs. Herbst at 903-593-4642.

Oakwood Cemetery is a city maintained cemetery, but the city is barred from spending public money for the repair of broken markers. Over a period of time many of the markers have been broken. The Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee began the 'Spirits of Oakwood' tours as a way to raise the needed funds for the repairs, to educate people about the history of Tyler and Smith County, and to let them see that the cemetery is a place in which all Tylerites should be very proud.

Links to material on Oakwood Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas:
History of Oakwood Cemetery
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/oakhist.txt

Map of Oakwood Cemetery
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemeteries/tyler/oakmap.htm

Key to map
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/oakkey.txt

Decoration of Confederate Graves circa 1899
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemeteries/tyler/dedicaday.html

Confederate Monument
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemeteries/tyler/confmark.html

History of Confederate Monument
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/mmchap1.txt

Listing of Plots 1-4 & Jewish Section
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/oakwood1.txt

Listing of Plot 5 & Unmarked Graves
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/oakwood2.txt

Photos of Tombstones
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemph/oakwood/oakwood.html