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Historic Oakland Cemetery is the final resting place of some of Dallas’ most noted citizens and veterans including civil war veterans. Three miles from downtown, its 47 acres hold hidden treasures – history and gardens, sculpture and architecture, ancient oaks, magnolias and crepe myrtles. These treasures should be accessible and welcoming to all. With investment, stewardship and leadership, Oakland Cemetery can become a revered final resting place and vibrant park to chronicle Dallas’ past and celebrate its future.
The Oakland Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Dallas, Texas, United States. It originally stood on 180 acres in rural Dallas County 1.5 miles southeast of the county court house when it opened in 1892. Economic problems, court judgements, land sales and acquisitions altered the cemetery to approximately 48 acres by 1969. About 27,000 people have selected Oakland Cemetery as the burial location for themselves and/or their family members. Burials include many prominent politicians, educators, physicians, ministers, business leaders, military service members, ancestors of famous individuals and ordinary citizens. The cemetery has a number of interesting memorials, sculptures and vaults. Mount Auburn pauper cemetery, owned by the city of Dallas, a Dallas county pauper cemetery (Rest Haven), and Opportunity Park, a city of Dallas public park border Oakland Cemetery. A Confederate cemetery, cared for by the city of Dallas Parks Department, is nearby.
The Oakland Cemetery was built on land which Thomas Lagow was awarded for emigrating to Texas before March 2, 1836. He received a First-Class Headright of a league and labor (4,605.50 acres) from Republic of Texas in 1841. After his death in 1844, 1,000 acres were deeded to Lagow's father-in-law, Armstead Bennett (1785–1859). Bennett's son-in-law and daughter, Daniel and Judith (Bennett) Parker, sold 680 acres to Nathaniel C. Floyd (1796–1870) in 1854. Floyd divided the land into 19 blocks which his probate distributed to his wife and three daughters. The land as covered with trees which Floyd used to describe in the division of the land: post oak, blackjack oak, Spanish oak, American elm, mulberry, ash, pecan, hackberry, burr oak, and honey locust trees.
Oliver Perry Bowser and William Henry Lemmon, real estate brokers, purchased over 232 acres from N. C. Floyd's daughters in 1888. O. S. Riggen purchased 30 acres that comprise NW 1/2 of Block 4 of the Floyd estate from Bowser and Lemmon with the idea of establishing a cemetery outside the city limits. The Rules and Regulations of the Oakland Cemetery Company, published in 1892, credits Riggen with beginning the effort to establish a rural, garden cemetery in Dallas County. His death in 1891 caused his 30 acres to be sold to Joseph Weil. Others followed adding 120 more acres to the project. The final acquisition consisted of Blocks 1, 3, and 4, each approximately 567.5 square varas (about 60 acres) in an L shape.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Cemetery_(Dallas,_Texas)
The cemetery is located on 3900 Oakland Circle, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.
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