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Oak Hill is a "scraped
earth" cemetery.
TE photo, 2006 |
| History
in a Pecan Shell
Oak Hill is one of many Texas communties that were sacrificed for the war
effort in the early 1940s. In this case it was Camp
Swift, the largest Army training post in Texas and a German Prisoner of War
Camp. Foundations of homes (or barracks) can be seen on the west side of FM 2336.
The population of Oak Hill was displaced and the homes and businesses were sold
for materials. The buildings that weren't sold ended up being used for target
practice. After the war when Camp
Swift was downsized - it's barracks and buildings were sold as scrap - for
$5 a truckload. Part of the Camp became a Federal Prison and part became a Cancer
Research Facility. Some of the land was returned to previous owners, but the town
per se was never rebuilt. |
| | The
road to the Oak Hill Cemetery TE
Photo, 2006 | |
|
| All
that remains today of Oak Hill is a scraped-earth cemetery maintained by an active
association made up of former residents. Some unmarked graves are said to predate
the "official" earliest burial from 1868. |
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Peculiar markers outline
a grave.
TE photo, 2006 |
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The most notable enclosure
at Oak Hill Cemetery
TE photo, 2006 |
| Oak
Hill had its beginning in the late 1840s when Martin Walker started selling off
part of his land grant. In 1879 a church was built that served three denominations
and in 1882 four churches shared the single building. The town's economy was based
on corn and cotton production and subsistence vegetable farming and livestock
production. No population figures are available but the one-teacher school listed
39 students in 1905. Oak Hill School served as the lead school of its district
in 1907. |
| | A
WWI Marker
TE photo, 2006 | |
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| The
town has long disappeared from county maps but a sign on FM 2336 will direct you
down an unpaved road where you will see the cemetery on the east side.
More
Texas Cemeteries |
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