Providence Church and Cemetery

On March 20, 1858, W. T. Miller deeded eight acres of land here "to trustees Lemuel Mullins, Chairman, D. Capp and Wm. Webb, for school purposes and burial ground." W. M. Hardy added a half-acre to even north line. These gifts met a pressing need for a central place to educate the children in this farmland area. Local residents (including Freemasons) donated work and materials, fenced the churchyard cemetery, and built a two-story structure to house the Providence School and Providence Missionary Baptist Church downstairs, and Providence Lodge No. 400, A.F. & A.M. (later to be Elkhart Lodge), upstairs. Providence was second missionary Baptist church in Anderson County. After tornado damage to building in 1900, school was discontinued. The present one-story building was salvaged and repaired with original materials, and regular church services continued through 1935. The cemetery, still used for burials, has some graves of settlers who arrived in the Republic of Texas days, and for years held school and worship in their own homes. Providence celebrated its centennial July 4-18, 1958, with nightly church services. The annual homecoming is held the first Sunday in June, with morning service followed by dinner on the ground. (1973)

Providence Church and Cemetery is a historical marker in Palestine, Anderson County, dedicated in 1973. It is one of 115 historical markers documented in Anderson County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 227 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.6619, -95.4099 near Palestine. The nearest cataloged historic site is Providence Church (cemetery), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Black Arter Cemetery, Denson Springs Cemetery, and Pine Grove Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5001008801. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.