Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery

The Texas and Pacific Railroad founded Texarkana on December 8, 1873. Anthony Ghio and Col. R.W. Rodgers purchased town lots on the first day of sale. They and several other residents formed Sacred Heart Catholic Church under the leadership of Father Theodore Buffard, a priest from Galveston who served much of the region's Catholic population. The next year, the congregation celebrated Christmas Eve mass in their first sanctuary. Two years later, Col. Rodgers donated land for this church cemetery; his young daughter, Agnes Bernard Rodgers, had been buried here the previous year. Over the years, the congregation grew and also sponsored a sister church in the city. Sacred Heart Catholic Church established a school, and later developed a second burial ground and new church facilities. Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery features ironwork by the local LeGrand family, as well as sculpture by Raffl Studios of Paris, France. Immigrants from sixteen countries are buried here; inscriptions on the monuments, which vary greatly in style, indicate the diverse history of the congregation. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2004

Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery is a historical marker in Texarkana, Bowie County, dedicated in 2004. It is one of 39 historical markers documented in Bowie County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 164 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.4308, -94.0516 near Texarkana. The nearest cataloged historic site is Moores - Burke - Ragland Home (historical marker), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Central Christian Church, Ellis House, and Joplin, Scott.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5037013247. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.