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CHALK MOUNTAIN,
TEXAS
Texas Ghost
Town
Erath County, Central Texas North
12 miles W of Glen
Rose
on Erath County Road 198.
Population 25 (1990)
Text and photos
by Sam Fenstermacher
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Chalk Mountain
Cemetery
The Chalk Mountain
Cemetery has over 350 graves. Oldest marked grave is that of Abigal
Davis (d. 1874). The presence of unmarked graves suggests there may
have been earlier use of this cemetery.
There's a beautiful
old chapel on the cemetery grounds. The white paint on the wood siding
of the chapel looked freshly applied during a recent visit. The Chalk
Mountain Cemetery is very well maintained today.
Looking at gravestone inscriptions, it's easy to tell life was hard
in this part of Texas 125 years ago. People died young, and there
are far too many headstones for children who died in the early years
of life. |
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Chalk Mountain
Masonic Lodge
Masonic
emblem and cornerstone |
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The Masonic
Lodge was Chartered December 8, 1904 and moved May 6, 1989. The
lodge still holds meetings Saturdays on or after a full moon.
The top part of the current lodge was moved from the 2nd story of
the original building. The original building was located about 1/4
or 1/2 mile west of Erath County Road 198 and south of US 67.
The wooden part
of the old building was raised atop a new foundation and cement
block first floor at the new location.
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Copyright © 2003 by Sam Fenstermacher All rights reserved
Thanks to Tom Guest, the webmaster for the lodge's website, for
information on the lodge.
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Chalk
Mountain History
See The
Handbook of Texas Online
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/ |
Chalk Mountain
Texas Forum
Subject:
Chalk Mountain
The land that Chalk Mountain Cemetery sits on use to belong to Hiram
Berry Rogers who gave that piece of land to be used as a cemetery.
The ranch house was located further east down the road where a windmill
now stands, but I believe that has been removed: however, the concrete
base still sits there. Historical marker is now located by the little
school house that was moved on the property.
Hiram Berry Rogers and his wife Nancy are buried there. A confederate
headstone was placed on his grave and recently a Texas Rangers headstone.
His great grandson is Pete Laney who was our Speaker of the House
until this year. The Laney's are originally from Duffau,
Erath county but Pete's kin moved to Plainview
to raise cotton. Zariata Jackson who owns the little grocery store
and filling station on [Highway] 67, near the Masonic lodge knows
all the history of that area. My dad belongs to the Masonic lodge.
I have pictures of my grandfather on chalk mountain.
Hiram joined Lt. Sul Ross' group of Texas Rangers in Waco.
After participating in the capture
of Cynthia Ann Parker, this group of rangers joined the Confederacy
and became part of Hood's Brigade. He was at Appomatox when Lee
surrendered and returned to Waco where he was forced to go through
a gauntlet of Black soldiers before he could be released. He then
served in the state police under Governor Polk. He lost both of
his brothers [during the war]. Hillsboro Junior College has all
of his papers pertaining to his service during this time. After
the war he came to Erath County and bought land at Chalk Mountain,
Erath County. - Eva Rogers, 6-6-06
Anyone wishing to share history or photos of Chalk Mountain, Texas,
please contact
us
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