Finding the Original Hudson Bend Cemetery

Sometimes cemeteries are moved by eminent domain. With the creation of Lake Travis a number of old 19^th century cemeteries were moved. For some, historic maps don’t tell us where the original cemetery was located. And LCRA failed to document the original "precise" location of some of these cemeteries. One such cemetery was the original Hudson Bend cemetery dating to the first settlement by Texans in the 19th century. It is recorded as Texas Historical Commission cemetery TV-C232. One county map covering roads of 1898-1902 has a Hudson Bend cemetery location recorded, but it is the location of the new Hudson Bend Cemetery.

So where was the original Hudson Bend Cemetery?

In 1938 as part of the construction of Mansfield Dam forming Lake Travis, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) acquired the property on which the cemetery was located by eminent domain and began moving graves to other cemeteries such as Teck Cemetery located on higher ground. Because of the ages and number of cemeteries that were moved as part of the creation of Lake Travis there is a likelihood some unmarked burials remain. Legal documents from 1938 (e.g. State of Texas, County of Travis, In the matter of the proceedings by LCRA for the condemnation of Hudson Bend Cemetery and for an order authorizing the removal of all bodies interred therein) identify the original cemetery location as the northeast portion of the Charles W. Goodenough GLO survey #515 on Hudson Bend, “located on that portion of said survey described in the easement recorded in Vol. 584, page 441-8 of the deed records of Travis County”. For more on Hudson Bend, Texas see Handbook of Texas.

LCRA started reinterring burials ca. 1938 before the completion of Mansfield Dam and Lake Travis inundated the area. And as luck would have it, 1940 aerials caught Hudson Bend before the lake rose. Combining legal document, deeds, plus the 1940 aerials, we can pin-point the old cemetery with some certainty: lat long 30.434644, -97.92816 which today is under Lake Travis.

On the photos below, click to enlarge.

 

Hudson Bend showing C.W. Goodenough survey on 1941 aerial combined with modern basemap of lake levels (the blue). Arrows shows cemetery location.

1941 aerial combined with modern basemap showing sections now underwater (blue). Arrow shows location. Blue line shows today's waterline on Hudson Bend

1941 aerial showing area where cemetery was likely located and the digging that had been done to move burials. What appears to have been graves are visible.

 

"In the matter of the proceedings by LCRA for the condemnation of Hudson Bend Cemetery." Austin American-Statesman, 13 Dec 1938, Tue · Page 15.

LCRA map of the original Hudson Bend Cemetery with about 79 burials. Left side is south; right side is north; top west; bottom east. Noted are two concrete curbs and a cedar tree. Rotate image left and compare with 1940 aerial view of the cemetery above.

LCRA inter-office memo that goes with the cemetery map above. The document identifies 21 unknown burials, and another 3 known but for whom no living relative could be found. The document is requesting a court order to proceed with moving the burials.