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Contributed photo Two little kids get some help from adults in placing flowers at the base of markers for Allenhurst Community, and Allenhurst Cemetery Historic Texas Cemetery.
An estimated 50 people attended the official Texas Historical Marker Dedication ceremony Allenhurst Community & Cemetery and Allenhurst-Mt. Zion Cemetery Historic Texas Cemetery Saturday, April 6.
The ceremony was presented by the Texas Historical Commission and the Matagorda County Historical Commission.
The town of Allenhurst was platted in 1905 along the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway and from its founding the families were predominantly African American Freedmen.
The town had a train depot, church and school.
A 1909 hurricane destroyed the depot and Allenhurst declined in the latter half of the 20th Century, with the land primarily now used for farming.
The only historic remnant is the cemetery, which was deeded in 1917 by Louise Holt Mayfield.
The oldest burial is John Jackson (d. 1915).
Notable graves include combat veterans and a centenarian.
Active burials continue, mainly for descendants of the community’s pioneering families.
At Saturday’s ceremony, Billy Revis gave the welcome, Rev. Daryl Wayne Mickens the invocations and Faye Cunningham led pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags.
Carol Sue Gibbs presented acknowledgments and recognitions, Ronnie Spencer provided the Allenhurst history and Wilson Campbell and Brenda Caldwell unveiled the markers.
Linda Jones read the marker text.
Gibbs gave the closing remarks and Mickens also led the invocation.