Old St. Mary's Cemetery

St. Mary's lived on its wharves. The town on Copano Bay became a leading lumber market and shipped hides, tallow, cattle and cotton, with wagon and cart trains running to Refugio, Goliad, Beeville, San Antonio and Uvalde. In the Civil War two federal warships took it unopposed and burned two warehouses and a wharf. Morgan Lines steamers called from about 1868, but hidden reefs wrecked ships, and Morgan gave up regular service after the 1875 storm. The railroad went to Rockport instead, and the post office and general store closed in 1907.

What the plaque says

Old St. Mary's Cemetery Joseph F. Smith, Nephew of Texas' provisional governor Henry Smith, founded the town of St. Mary's in 1857. Ten acres were set aside for this burial ground, in which the earliest marked grave is dated 1860. The cemetery served the thriving community until an 1886 storm destroyed business and homes, causing residents to move away. In 1909, with the return of land development to the area, the cemetery was again used. The burial site of war veterans and pioneer area settlers, the cemetery serves as a reminder of the important early coastal town of St. Mary's. (1983)

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Birthplace of Clara Driscoll — 1.8 mi
• Site of the Town of Copano — 1.8 mi
• Fulton — 11 mi
• Site of One of the Homes of James Power — 11 mi