Colmesneil-Mount Zion Cemetery

According to local oral tradition, African American residents of Colmesneil began using this land for burial purposes as early as the 1850s. The property remained in the hands of absentee landlords until the 1930s, when the new owner allowed burials to continue at the site. The oldest legible tombstone in the graveyard is that of Henry Mitchell, who died September 11, 1859. There are a number of unmarked graves, however, and some possibly predate Mitchell's burial. Among the more than two hundred interments here are those of prominent members of Colmesneil's black community, including ministers, doctors, teachers, railroad employees, and veterans of World War I and World War II. Known as the Colmesneil Cemetery until 1972, the graveyard was renamed Mount Zion Cemetery to avoid confusion with another Colmesneil Cemetery in the city. The new name was taken from a combination of the names of two local churches with which the cemetery historically has been associated -Mount Hope Baptist Church and Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The cemetery serves as a visible reminder of the area's African American Heritage.

Colmesneil-Mount Zion Cemetery is a historical marker in Colmesneil, Tyler County, dedicated in 1991. It is one of 29 historical markers documented in Tyler County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 138 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.9059, -94.4232 near Colmesneil. The nearest cataloged historic site is Colmesneil Mount Zion (cemetery), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Colmesneil, and Egypt.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5457011361. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.