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Resolution No. 2014-073
CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS RESOLUTION NO. 2014- ®C A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE BRIDGES CEMETERY MASTER PLAN, ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT "A"; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, That the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas, approves the Bridges Cemetery Master Plan to revitalize our community resource and preserve a link to the City's heritage; and WHEREAS, The City Council finds it is in the best interest of the citizens to approve the Bridges Cemetery Master Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS: Section 1. That the Bridges Cemetery Master Plan, which is attached as Exhibit "A", is hereby adopted for the purpose of preservation, restoration, improve aesthetics, awareness, access, programs and ongoing routine maintenance. Section 2. That this resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas, this 7th day of October 2014. 41, `/ oe McCourr , Mayor City of The Colony, Texas A ' ST. ikAdti WA-4-1)\-, C istier Wilson, TRMC, City Secretary . ' ' • , Jeff Moore City Attorney " .... 1 _ ,... iv..:, •w- - ..., City of , i-• '4e1.:." ;ki 7 ''• • The Colony, Texas 6, , r, . - _•• ,,.-.,-... !.. r-' ' i '4‘.' 1• \ • tA-_,.• 1 - %.14...--. -_, .-, . 1),.:.• . , 1 44. ‘..-._ . ...,7-1,jr.. -4- . 1., ti .!.--.,.. 4 ..i. s- ,.., - - 4,4' 4,1c.,-'.1 II ..'0.. ..,4 t I, .. ' ,-. C.r.-' •,-,-:-....-.,0,: 1 1 A . IN • . i'•:3' ',241 I,1 g' 1 6,,,:...A4,.., -;...' ,,' •..,..: .:Ii..... .,....' ' ,..,).1.,:::: :: 4i'' ill,4.1 ,,111:10,. 'Ai .6 vz---11,, - , T • --' F. -4 JP ;'''',...,-#.."-:.;...,.,':-.•.:. . 4AL , ,,. _. - ' ,. ' 1, ,-* ' •-.., 2- ,kcer4,4----•,-'7''''-•---7.. • ; 1.'•''l''''' ''' '' ' , \..4.4." ' ,- 0 . ,.,:' ' . 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D., ' . s., ' '•'. •,1:1-,•,%ii..,,,:• 424.4%. 4:"4,. a--:,..,‘;.. - ,.. . . . .-1 ., .,, ,...,,,,, t ,. -.., .....—....., *•1 Draft October 2014k•Vit''--,':..r-7,;tg- ii...,:tc-, ,:---- 14it 4 4 r •. `•• ,,ti.•:., 4,4.4p, 4}11t...,, :. ,‘,0,.. /V/ .... 7..........."?,,, 0 ...././.......: , d.s.) ,....„yi (-7 ,...___...„ 1 11 1 r'r'1 ri Bridges Cemetery Master Plan Draft - October 2014 Prepared by Megan Charters Eve Morgan Cemetery Task Force Don Beckel Megan Charters Bill Longo Joan Lux Eve Morgan Alyce Rufi Cover Photographs by Zoltan Katona Table of Contents 3 Executive Summary 4 History 5 Ownership 6 Enhancements and Existing Conditions 8 Cemetery Management 9 Recommendations and Implementations 16 Funding Sources 17 Conclusion 18 Appendices Executive Summary Bridges Cemetery in The Colony,Texas, was established in the mid-1800s as a family and community burial ground for the surrounding Bridges Settlement. Located near the eastern border of present-day The Colony, Bridges Cemetery is the only remaining physical tie to one of the city's predecessor com- munities. No longer active, the cemetery has endured periods of neglect and disuse over the years; through the advocacy of dedicated descendants, citizens, and City staff and officials, Bridges Cemetery is set to emerge as a historic, educational, and aesthetic resource for a vibrant and growing North Texas community. Revitalizing Bridges Cemetery ..,.OE.E, as a community resource ilk. 4 " and cultural attraction, while ' .4.1. ` preserving the historic integ- i / _ rity of the property and its ; iiiii ti environment, is a worthwhile erg,, LIME ELY •- endeavor not without chat- G - a ,r PRISCO lenges.The cemetery faces a e t number of issues and pres- iNE°FELE, t•; •,- `''- ervation needs, including {r ' LMP LPPrts8188 .J._ deteriorating headstones, t *i,. tlr community awareness and • *; s access, and aging or absent . F•'' -= PI Wins Gres*PMy amenities.The purpose of """' LEWISV.LLE ► fir•.-a .P w Parx,r Ra this Master Plan is to examine 'ERYO°R°� Iy • y EN.OIm PEy REB oR �py�E, Part Blva 9NEPToq O iEla P\ man Whits these issues, establish rec- „"'�Pk, } � PO,r,W,PYi�—��� ommendations for the future Figure 1.1 City context map for The Colony,Texas.Bridges Cemetery isnlocated near the eastern of the cemetery, and guide the border of The Colony. implementation of these goals. In August of 2013, the City of The Colony entered into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement (ICA) with Denton County. In January of 2014, a Cemetery Task Force (CTF) was formed to begin work on a Master Plan for Bridges Cemetery.The CTF is comprised of City staff and volunteer citizens from The Colony Public Library Local History Committee. The CTF examined the history, existing conditions, and manage- rial oversight of Bridges Cemetery before developing several recommendations. The Master Plan identifies four major goals: • Preservation and Restoration • Improve Aesthetics • Awareness,Access, and Programs • Ongoing Routine Maintenance The CTF believes the recommendations and goals presented in this Master Plan will support the pres- ervation of Bridges Cemetery as a valuable community resource and revitalize an important link to the City's heritage. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 3 History , - s r_"�— X�=�:+ Bridges Settlement, },� -- y +fy_ �,' ,_7 Y y; the earliest settlement T` 'F• ,, �.��-. in Denton County, was • i ' established by and named ,� ,�•, after the Bridges Family: •1~ r . , ..44 i •ti John and Mildred and 17. ' - r �'! ~F their children William w!!1 A. J „ ,•44.., , ,1.ti'4,., t -- �' ' + I I r; .; -'$ 4 David, and Elizabeth. I , > The Brides were one of g • , 14 t k +. ,! ,, the first Peters Colony families to settle in the r. �.��"'t}�_.. *I`i1, i 1 � .•; a �, '< a ._ , ,rt t. - southeast corner of what I j _,—' �""”` • ' . -•`:0, , `';trie is now Denton County in ..,dt 1843. Early settlements in f •-•,,,.,..,..._ North Texas were typically groups of people who had Figure 2.1 Members of the Ellis Family travel from Kentucky to Texas in a wagon train.Several Ellis been friends, neighbors, Family members are buried in Bridges Cemetery. or relatives and who traveled together to Texas in wagon caravans.The Peters Colonists in Bridges Settlement appear to have followed this pattern, with many groups coming from Greene County, Illinois, and from several counties in Kentucky, including Christian and Jefferson Counties. Bridges Cemetery is located on a 1.5-acre plot of land at the northwest corner of Morning Star Drive and Chesapeake Drive in The Colony, Texas.This land was originally part of William Bridges' 160-acre tract issued by the Peters Colony Land Grant Company in 1850. The cemetery, possibly founded upon the death of John Bridges, became a family and community f burial ground for those lil': living in Bridges ' !',', i. Settlement; all who are 1 ' its .r ''-` buried in the cemetery, , - " M �� , .; ; , with one exception, l ; 1" ; ' ;' �� 'oi-. ;._. ' 15. are related by blood or - t �7`, ._ c marriage. In a unique � x IiJ� , circumstance fora ''*; r,!r i '` l'-Nit.--, .t.- southern cemetery, s t. ' 4_ -. there are both Confed- 'M 1' � e?` ` ' 4`: ` �' '= erate and Union soldiers r{ • '', .y ,., r 1`F 4` 1 .> fi - - yam,>S.i buried within Bridges ,', -J "...:,14,1`,:',_;...,, t' Cemetery.The oldest '`- mob' t ' `'F�� v .- , , legible marked grave is �''� '*' .'1V-'f:11,��' ,I� 4; ` ,.*„ �", %•T ,,.,-1,%,-* ;_ inscribed Infant daugh .S .> Art v ter,April 5, 1855" and .. ���E � � �.�, = s=:�' . dl‘jf s' iffi.• 4./-- -- ,r Figure 2.2 The graves of Mildred and David Bridges in Bridges Cemetery. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 4 the most recent is a child's stone marked, "B. 1967, D. 1967." Due to missing headstones and illegible inscriptions, a burial date earlier than 1855 is possible. Ownership ) - r William Bridges' son, Francis —= . i -_ Marion, inherited the land on which Bridges Cemetery --- __ - , :a = was located and, in 1889, — --_-_-7-. deeded the property to the Denton County Judge "as a ,.- trustee of a burial ground for =--- - -_- _ __=__ the benefit of heirs of W.A. - - ir. Bridges, deceased, and their _ - friends and public..." Following _- i ti - , #` this transfer, descendants of k . �:_ ' ......�-.•• those buried in the cemetery Q"` ° - �' made regular visits for general "',,,,v,..t.-51 .: - upkeep and maintenance. Figure 2.3 The F.M.and Sallie Ashlock Bridges Family near Bridges Settlement in the 1890s. In the late 1970s, IBM acquired the land surrounding Bridges Cemetery and closed the roads leading to the property.Through disuse, the unpaved roads became overgrown with native prairie grasses and, without regular and easy access to the cemetery for maintenance,the grounds began to fall into disre- pair.Around this time,the Bridges Cemetery Association (BCA)formed "to provide a means for descen- dants and others interested in the cemetery to share their time, energies and resources for the continu- ing care of the cemetery." In addition to preserving the history and integrity of Bridges Cemetery,the BCA also worked toward obtaining a historical marker. -it;_ The BCA, descendants, and other -r community groups continued to < preserve the cemetery until the s `t� + � ' "' The Colony Parks and Recreation ! r �r t i Department began to oversee its " ,.j F- general maintenance in 2001. In BRIDGES 1 Z'E . i` . •~ 4 August of 2013, the City of The , ;;.i CEMETERY <' r Colony entered into an ICA with a.; i - EST 1855 ti Denton County for the purpose x' �,. \" ` of maintaining and improving v ' �.r.\s,\ ,r, . �c,-., Bridges Cemetery. Ij " 'iw;C: G ,'rte f` ': `� r! :< T--* ,_., i. Q `,: Figure 2.4 An overgrown Bridges Cemetery in the early-to-mid 1980s. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 5 Enhancements and Existing Conditions -IN. .,...„_-.., +. - " Prior to the construction of ,,#+, ' ' ` ' „ ' y`. The Legends subdivision in ` „; ” The Colony in 1999, Bridges ., .t _-- •- w .: Cemetery had few amen- s y , f--- ` `., ' . r� ; ,. , # ��' ities. It was located on a 42 A,.,, large, undeveloped plot of • 4""' land, essentially isolated nma+•. ,, '° "r from the community. In the fi illWir liffM YW''t h k» �i ,1 early 1980s, several years -l��!MA�tI<t�nn.r !4nt "'; Ii;II i�lil��PNJ-' '`1 r 1 1 1i�g�� , '41!I• y ;,r .. . after acquiring the land sur- - - rounding the cemetery, IBM , } donated funds to construct \ r ,; i' i'--r-TT v- T " ' a chain-link fence around •-i, x «� s: -It � ::064,...."`-1-� ,''- the property. In the 1990s, �': i''*; '` �, 7{` '-- '=,� "-x 4 as the property was platted, an ornamental wrought iron Figure 3.1 Ornamental wrought iron fence meets chain-link fence in the southeast corner of fence was installed along Bridges Cemetery near the Hays Family plot.Photo by Zoltan Katona. the east boundary of the cemetery, which fronts Community Support Morning Star Drive. Over the years, Bridges Cemetery has been the focus of several Eagle Scout Service Projects. With the express purpose of benefiting the community and enhancing and maintaining the cemetery,these proj- ects have ranged from building benches for visitors to clearing ,.,,�. r overgrowth on the property. Future Eagle Scout Projects will be approved by the Local History Committee and will follow kip. ,}, .4 .>_.� ti the Design Style Standards created by the CTF. It ,TEXAS In the mid-1980s, members of the BCA researched the history . ? , ,ti _,_....„ of the cemetery and applied for a Texas Historical Marker.The ., BRIDGES CEMETERY marker was approved by the Texas Historical Commission in s K 1986 as part of the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration and, Y_ after the BCA raised funds for its casting, the marker was ded- ` icated in June of 1988.The historical marker is inscribed: Bridges Cemetery. Bridges Settlement, named for the W A. - 4,4_ Bridges family and reportedly the oldest in Denton County, - .ENT cP_,. s alD ` began in 1843 and was a center of activity of the Peters Colony. ,, -, E This cemetery, on land granted to Bridges in 1850, dates to D E. 1855, although illegible stones may be slightly older.Site of A.,_ - ;_ s4,; roNE the burials of the Bridges and other early immigrant families, stones here document graves of many children and Civil War soldiers. Deeded to the county by F.M. and Sallie Bridges in 1899*, the cemetery contains over one hundred sandstone and ` granite markers. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986. Figure 3.2 Bridges Cemetery historical marker. *Marker should read 1889.Photo by Zoltan Katona. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 6 Grave Markers Though there are over 150 known graves in Bridges Cemetery, only approximately 100 are marked. The Smallpox Epidemic of 1910 and the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 claimed many victims in the area and there is speculation of an unmarked mass grave along the northwest corner of the cemetery. Of the marked graves, the majority of the stones are sandstone and granite; almost 160 years of exposure to the elements has rendered these soft stones illegible and in need of repair and preservation. Whether through time, natural elements, or acts of vandalism, many of the headstones in Bridges Cemetery lie in broken and/or deteriorated pieces near their respective graves;there are also several haphazard piles of marker pieces throughout the grounds.These stones are artifacts that must be restored with care and expertise. The first case of vandalism in Bridges Cemetery was reported in the early 1980s.The BCA spent in excess of$1,000 to repair stones and replace parts of the chain-link fence that had been damaged in the act. In 1993,the historical marker was stolen from its post, but was eventually replaced after descendants of those buried in the cemetery spearheaded a fundraising effort. A tt, dpi - -- t.; ,r 5. 44.. 41111801°* !- f •4.'h." . Nom" ~ .. 4 • . / . „..,...A.,"—,•.4-‘,.., - 3, *w , ...i„, ,.. .. . . i. ,_ ,,, .. .,,,,,,.. ,,,,,_ ... Figure 3.3 Broken,worn,and vandalized grave markers in Bridges Cemetery.Photos by Zoltan Katona. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 7 Cemetery Management Local. The City of The Colony, as outlined in the ICA, is authorized to perform governmental functions and services for the purpose of maintenance and improvements to Bridges Cemetery. The City Council superintends this maintenance and reviews and approves all proposed restorations and improvements. The Colony Parks and Recreation Department, assisted by volunteers as needed and where appropri- ate, oversees the cemetery's general operation and provides routine ongoing maintenance. Parks and Recreation, in coordination with specialized vendors, is also in charge of implementing both cosmetic and structural restorations and improvements to the cemetery. The Colony Public Library's Local History Committee (LHC), comprised of library staff and volunteers, is responsible for providing historical guidance on the preservation and improvement of Bridges Cem- etery.The LHC also coordinates programming related to the history of the cemetery and its original community, Bridges Settlement. County. As outlined in the ICA, Denton County remains the trustee of Bridges Cemetery and retains the deed as conveyed by F. M. and Sallie Bridges in 1889.The County is authorized to perform mainte- nance and improvements to the cemetery, but has conveyed this authority to the City of The Colony via the ICA. In strictly an advisory capacity,the Denton County Historical Commission (DCHC) will be a valuable resource in the oversight of Bridges Cemetery.Through their Cemetery Committee, which identifies, publicizes, and provides research materials for historic cemeteries in the county, members of the CTF will utilize DCHC as a guide for cemetery management and to raise awareness for local programming and events. State. The State of Texas will be involved in the oversight of Bridges Cemetery through the Texas His- torical Commission (THC) and its Historic Texas Cemetery (HTC) designation program. Members of the CTF will go through the application process to ensure Bridges Cemetery is an officially recognized HTC. Benefits of this state designation include official recognition of the cemetery's location and boundaries; documentation of the cemetery's current conditions through photographs and maps, which may be useful in emergency management situations such as vandalism, fire, or natural disasters; and inclusion in the THC's Texas Historic Sites Atlas. Publicly owned cemeteries are protected as archaeological sites under the Antiquities Code of Texas (Title 9, Chapter 191 of the Texas Natural Resources Code) and the THC, which administers the Antiqui- ties Code, must be notified of any changes and/or alterations made to cemeteries older than 50 years beyond ongoing maintenance and daily cemetery activities. Following the policies set forth by the THC, including recordation, protection, and preservation,The City of The Colony will maintain, conserve, and repair Bridges Cemetery. .•••C0UNT~ THE (E..,oLONY city by rhe Lake •• 18�6 ...• TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION •..• real pyres telling rral'fortes Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 8 Recommendations and Implementations Goal 1. Preservation and Restoration Objective. Since its establishment in the mid-1800s, Bridges Cemetery has aged; natural elements have eroded the inscriptions on many of the markers and several headstones have suffered damage. Following the Antiquities Code of Texas and the best practices set forth by the THC's Standards for Preservation of Historic Cemeteries, special care should be given to preserve and restore the tombstones that have been damaged and to identify unmarked graves. Actions • Historical Designation. Complete the THC's Historic Texas Cemetery Request for Designation application.This designation is an official recognition of family and community graveyards in Texas and is the first step toward the preservation and protection of a historic cemetery. • Cemetery Survey.The existing survey for Bridges Cemetery was prepared by Price Stark Real Estate for IBM in 1980.This hand-drawn survey includes a map and inventory of Bridges Cemetery that has become illegible over the years and includes several mistakes and many unknowns. A consultant with a specialty in archeology should be hired to prepare a new survey of the cemetery. Key items for the survey include: • Grave Location. Determine the location of both marked and unmarked graves in the cemetery and determine whether or not a mass grave exists along the northwest corner of the cemetery. • Inventory.Catalog the location of the graves in the cemetery and their associated names, when possible. • Condition. Determine which headstones require restoration and/or repair. • Map. Create a map reflecting the location of the cemetery and an inventory of those buried within. lf�L jy s I1Lx: _' .7pf 9 7L T i i'� �+. �i _I M44 JAL7r Lv G;i tl • _-_ J________ , lir '' i Nn 17,i;ii>e 7 f4{i 1.1. tea` ' •- I � . A 1 I I IN / i Y4/1^24 I 7 i; _ O wr%)T.Tr uc 1 i 7,-; -,v [4 ZS 2V s3 ,xit4rtPr»�n Al 50 I _t I®' u n es u4 . 1 i ' av n fY i ! 7.E-; 4>; n . I � , Figure 5.1 Hand-drawn survey map of Bridges Cemetery prepared in 1980 by Price Stark Real Estate for IBM. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 9 • Headstone Restoration. Damaged headstones should be restored and/or repaired and unmarked graves identified in the survey should be marked to indicate their location.All repair and restoration work should be directed by or approved by a preservation specialist to ensure that work is done in accordance with best historic standards. The restoration process includes: • Research.The cemetery survey will indicate which stones require repair and to what extent. Depending on the stone (granite, sandstone, etc.) and type (upright, obelisk, flush, etc.), different restoration methods may be advised. • Budget.A budget for headstone restoration will be determined after restoration methods are selected. The number of markers requiring restoration and the level of repair needed will impact the cost and timeline associated with the project. If practical, City staff and volunteers may receive training on headstone restoration to reduce costs. • Implementation. Damaged headstones should be repaired, re-set, or pinned according to best historic standards. Organic growth and foreign matter should also be removed from stones. Unmarked graves identified in the survey will receive a marker or signage to signify location. Signage style and type will be identified in the Design Style Standards. • • q • { # r.•Ic _ r 4. ` , •%t..h* �ir r4 fi ^• . =Y " r ' • Figure 5.2 Leaning,damaged,and weathered headstones in need of repair in Bridges Cemetery.Photos by Zoltan Katona. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 10 Goal 2. Improve Aesthetics Objective. Bridges Cemetery is a historic community resource and all proposals for improved aesthetics shall preserve or enhance the historic integrity of the cemetery. In accordance with the ICA between the City of The Colony and Denton County, improvements made to Bridges Cemetery will meet or exceed current County design standards. In addition, restorations and improvements will follow the plans and specifications approved by the City and the County. Actions • Current Improvements • Fence. Remove existing chain-link fence on the west and south side of the cemetery; replace with wrought iron fence that will match, to the extent commercially possible, the fence along the east boundary of the cemetery. • Maintenance. Remove overgrown, damaged, or dead trees along the fence line in conjunction with the replacement of the fence at the cemetery. R` ti - -_ fe. iii4 a ,If -:-__ .„:1145 4..,,_.,,,,, ';7! ., ?0/IM ' yet^, p,•,''-!,•� A f it of ,, i y4 ., ',t\ -' _ .. ._ .. _rte � , - �aai 1i4� ? # . .:7A17-' � ilitt. t:4,- 'S. A i n l1 ill I' i _ ,,, 1. ti aFt a -..,v,.. ?. 7'24. ^`' li.•.n'r�,s ,.f' S ''..14.' t y '2',--,k . 1&i r,.s" }err ,g.y 7HiS� H 1 } �• La 1il!f4�. `.}KY , { o Figure 5.3 New wrought iron fencing installed at Bridges Cemetery in April 2014.Clockwise from top left:Southeast corner of cemetery joins pre-existing and new wrought iron fencing;New entry gate on western boundary fence; Trees removed along fence line on southern boundary;New western boundary fence near water tower. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 11 • Future Improvements • Design Style Standards. Create a Design Style Standards document to outline approved styles for future amenities and site furnishings added to the cemetery. Amenities and furnishings, including signage, memorials, seating, landscaping, etc., should be appropriate to and/or enhance the cemetery's historic setting. • Enhancements. Enhancements include amenities and furnishings that identify features of the cemetery, present its history, and provide visitors a place to rest and reflect. Enhancements will be researched and budgeted prior to final selection and presentation to Council. Examples include: • Signage. Formal identification at the entrance of the cemetery; interpretative signage throughout the grounds directing visitors to plots and providing a history of the cemetery. • Memorials. Identification and/or listing of the Civil War veterans buried in Bridges Cemetery. • Pathways. Accessible and stable surfaces at, near, or leading up to the entrance of the cemetery. • Seating. Benches throughout and near the entrance of the cemetery. • Shade Structure. Temporary shade structures for special events and programs. • Landscaping. Many of the trees in the cemetery are in decline and action should be taken to prevent them from damaging existing graves and nearby infrastructure.Trees should be replaced after the existing trees are removed. Future plantings will be in identified areas that will not impact graves. , M.• • CI; 30 163.3 `sr+ 2 19?/- 4 4ti '. 1111116. • ad Figure 5.4 The graves of Civil War veterans are marked with American flags for special events at Bridges Cemetery.A more permanent memorial for these veterans is desired.Photos by Zoltan Katona. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 12 Goal 3. Awareness,Access, and Programs Objective. Bridges Cemetery is a valuable historic resource and its existence should be made known to the greater community. With preservation and historic integrity in mind, the City will raise awareness, host educational programming, and provide members of the general public access to Bridges Cemetery. Actions • Awareness. The existence and physical location of Bridges Cemetery will be highlighted through- out the community in several methods: • Signage.Wayfinding signage for the cemetery will be installed throughout the City. Signage is intended to direct residents and visitors and should not act as a form of advertisement. • Promotion.Awareness of the cemetery and its history will be promoted on a local, county-and state-wide level through various mediums, including: • Promotional Literature. Informational rack cards, City visitor's guides, and DCHC cemetery publications will be distributed to City facilities, local hotels, County offices, and Texas Travel Information Centers, as appropriate. • Online. The history and/or location of the cemetery will be promoted online via official web- sites and social media outlets for the City of the Colony,The Colony Parks and Recreation Department,The Colony Public Library,The Colony Convention and Visitor's Bureau,the Denton County Historical Commission, and the Texas Historical Commission. • Programs. The City will participate in County-wide programs and activities relating to historic cemeteries and/or settlements to highlight the existence of Bridges Cemetery. • Access. In order to maintain the security of Bridges Cemetery, gates will remain locked. Members of the general public will be able to access the cemetery during City business hours by appointment with either the Parks and Recreation Department or a member of the LHC. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 13 • Programming. The history of Bridges Cemetery will be promoted through the planning and hosting of special events and programs at Bridges Cemetery: • Special Events.The cemetery will be open to the public several times each year. Select volunteers will dress in Civil War-era costume and be on-hand to place flags on the graves of veterans, answer questions, and give tours. All special events held at Bridges Cemetery throughout the year will be advertised to the community. • Educational Programming. Educational programs will be held at Bridges Cemetery for City departments, school groups, scout troops, and other interested parties. As possible, educational programming will incorporate the natural resources of the cemetery, as well as installed amenities, e.g., interpretative signage. • Tours.Tours of Bridges Cemetery will be given to the general public and community groups as part of special programming and/or upon request throughout the year. • 1 . 1 .ti fir C • • a " 'sir . 1 • .; 46 1tr•,y, 'u... Figure 5.5 Members of the LHC dress in Civil War-era costume and greet visitors at Bridges Cemetery.Special events at the cemetery have drawn large crowds,even in cold and rainy weather conditions. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 14 Goal 4. Maintenance Objective.To remain an aesthetic community resource, regular upkeep of Bridges Cemetery is required. As indicated in the ICA between the City of The Colony and Denton County,the City will maintain the grounds of Bridges Cemetery.This ongoing maintenance ranges from routine mowing to incidental maintenance. Actions • Standard of Care. A standard of care document will be developed to outline routine maintenance tasks, establish the method for accomplishing each task, and guide maintenance frequency. • Grounds. Determine a routine maintenance schedule for the cemetery and who will perform each maintenance task. Grounds maintenance includes, but is not limited to, mowing, fire ant suppression, and the clearing of debris. • Tree Care.Trees on cemetery grounds will be evaluated for health conditions and viable, growing trees will be routinely maintained. Incidental maintenance may occur due to extreme weather and/or unexpected damage. • Headstones. Ongoing maintenance of headstones differs from restoration and will include occasional cleaning of dirt and debris. Professional training opportunities on the proper care and maintenance of headstones will be sought for City staff and volunteers. • Ongoing Routine Maintenance.The Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for overseeing routine mowing, tree trimming, trash removal, etc. Mowing and tree care maintenance is currently '+71 contracted out and should follow the schedule defined in the standard of care document. • Slope Stabilization. The southern boundary of the cemetery has an extreme slope from the curb to the fence. Slope erosion is a concern and action should be taken to prevent this from occurring. Erosion control devices will be researched, with ease of installation and reasonable price points in mind. f � 1 Figure 5.6 Extreme sloping on the southern boundary of the cemetery. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 15 Funding Sources City Funds. As per the ICA, the City has agreed to provide funds toward the restoration, improvement, and maintenance of Bridges Cemetery.As projects come to the forefront, proposals should be brought before Council for approval and funding sources will be determined at that time. Community Development Corporation funding is a likely candidate for several projects outlined in this Master Plan. Endowment/Grant Funds. When possible and where applicable, endowment and/or grant funding for projects focusing on the historical preservation of Bridges Cemetery will be sought. Possible sources for these funds include the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Historical Foundation. Applicable projects could include an archaeological cemetery survey, headstone restoration, interactive digital cemetery map, etc. Donations and Sponsorships. Donations from parties wishing to assist in funding preservation, restoration, and improvement projects at Bridges Cemetery will be accepted. Donations for special events and educational programming held at Bridges Cemetery will be accepted through The Friends of The Colony Public Library, a 501(c)(3) organization. Sponsorships will be considered on a case-by- case basis. In-Kind Services. In-kind goods and services will be accepted for events and projects related to the care and maintenance of Bridges Cemetery. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 16 Conclusion Historic cemeteries are a valuable asset to their communities.They are ties to the past and reminders of settlement patterns.They also preserve and reveal information about historic events, religions, life- styles, and genealogy. For these reasons, the opportunity to revitalize Bridges Cemetery into a valuable historic, educational, and aesthetic community resource is an important challenge for the City of The Colony. In response to the City entering into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Denton County, which allows the City to preserve, maintain, and improve the cemetery, a Cemetery Task Force (CTF) was formed to plan for its future. Members of the CTF examined the history, existing conditions, and managerial oversight of Bridges Cemetery before developing recommendations and goals. This Master Plan focuses on preserving and restoring cemetery features; improving the cemetery's aesthetics; promoting the cemetery as a cultural resource, providing access to the public, and developing educational programs for the community; and maintaining the cemetery grounds.These goals should be undertaken in such a manner so as not to impact the historic integrity of Bridges Cemetery and its environment. The Bridges Cemetery Master Plan provides the groundwork for implementing the recommendations of the CTF. Several recommendations have already been implemented, while others will take place over the course of several years as projects are approved by Council and funding becomes available. The planning, writing, and implementation of the recommendations in this Master Plan will ultimately preserve a serene and natural environment where descendants, citizens, and visitors can learn and reflect. Bridges Cemetery will be a historic, educational, and aesthetic community resource that connects the past and future of The Colony. Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 17 Appendices I. Priority Task List II. Bridges CemeteryLocator Map III. Bridges Cemetery Deed IV.Bridges Cemetery Association Newsletter V.Interlocal Cooperation Agreement VI. Archaeological Monitoring Report Bridges Cemetery Master Plan I City of The Colony 18 Bridges Cemetery Priority Task List Goal 1.Preservation and Restoration Responsible Proposed Resources Priority Action Tasks Party Timeline Costs/Funding Needed Notes Sources Application and Gather and complete Historical necessary paperwork for City Staff; City staff; relevant paperwork 1 to be added to Designation Historic Texas Cemetery LHC 2014 2015 $125+/TBD LHC application. Master Plan when completed. Hire archaeological con- TBD/Poten- sultant to prepare survey 2014-2015 tial City funds; Survey components Archaeological City staff; of cemetery;survey City Staff; Pending Grants/endow- to be added to 1 Survey of CDC; Cemetery should include:Location, LHC appropriate ments;Dona- Consultant Master Plan when condition,inventory,and approvals tions/sponsor- completed. map. ships Consult professional for best historic standard TBD/Poten- practices for headstone 2016-2017 tial City funds; 2 Headstone restoration;Determine if City Staff; Potentially Grants/endow- City staff; Restoration restoration can be done LHC phased ments;Dona- Consultant in-house or by contrac- project tions/sponsor- tor;Develop budget for ships project. TBD/Poten- Markers/ Unmarked graves identi- tial City funds; 3 Signage for fled in survey will receive City Staff; 2017-2018 Grants/endow- City staff; Unmarked a marker to signify loca- LHC ments;Dona- Consultant Graves tion. tions/sponsor- ships Bridges Cemetery Priority Task List Goal 2.Improve Aesthetics Proposed Responsible Resources Priority Action Tasksparty Timeline Costs/Funding Needed Notes Sources South and west 1 $40,000 sections of chain- Hire fence contractor and budgeted; link fencing City Staff; Phase I corn- City Staff; archaeologist to install $16,848.76 replaced with 1 Replace Fence fence and monitor excava CDC; plete,April encumbered Contractor; wrought iron; Council 2014. Consultant tion,respectively. for Phase I/ North section City funds remains to be replaced. Remove overgrown, damaged,or dead trees Complete City Staff; 1 Maintenance in conjunction with fence City Staff April 2014 /City funds Contractor replacement. Determine and record Design style guide 2 Design Style aesthetic style for future City Staff; to be added to 2014-2015 $0/In-house City Staff;LHC Guide amenities. LHC Master Plan when completed. Determine,rank,and prioritize amenities to TBD/Poten be added to cemetery, tial City funds; Ranked and pri- Grants/endow- oritized list to be including,but not lira- City Staff; City Staff; 3 Enhancements added to Master ited to:Signage;Veteran LHC TBD ments;Dona- CDC memorial;pathways; tions/sponsor- Plan when corn- ships;In-kind pleted. seating;shade structure; services. and landscaping. Bridges Cemetery Priority Task List Goal 3.Awareness,Programs,and Access Responsible Proposed Resources Priority Action Tasksparty Timeline Costs/Funding Needed Notes Sources Open cemetery to public City Staff; City Staff;LHC; 1 Special Events for established and/or LHC Ongoing TBD/LHC Volunteers advertised special events. Develop historical narratives and map City Staff; 1 History Tours points-of-interest for cern- LHC Ongoing TBD/LHC City Staff;LHC etery tours. Develop curriculum and programming utilizing City Staff;LHC; 2 Educational existing cemetery ame- City Staff; School and Ongoing TBD/LHC Programming nities for local schools, LHC scout partner- scout troops,and library ships programs. Develop materials and signage suitable for dis- tribution throughout the City and through vari City Staff;LHC; 2 Awareness and ous media outlets,e.g., City Staff; Ongoing TBD/Potential Convention Promotion pamphlets,social media LHC City funds;LHC &Visitor's releases,recorded mes- Bureau sages,directional signage, etc. Bridges Cemetery Priority Task List Goal 4.Ongoing Maintenance Responsible Proposed Resources Priority Action Tasks Party Timeline Costs/Funding Needed Notes Sources Develop standard of care policy to outline routine tasks,methods,and fre Policy to be added 1 Standard of Care quency of maintenance City Staff 2014 $0/In-house City Staff to Master Plan for grounds,trees,and when completed. headstones. Ongoing Routine Continue mowing and TBD/City City Staff; 1 Maintenance tree-trimming,as needed. City Staff Ongoing funds Contractor Research and determine appropriate method Slope of slope stabilization; TBD/City City Staff; 2 City Staff 2015 Stabilization Prepare cost estimate; funds Contractor Appropriate funding; Installation. Bridges Cemetery, The Colony, Texas 3 _ xru caanur+6 t ..nor 6 t..,.,F.1, i x" \ d r wrnC.nn iM ..10., 44..0, p,m:r,, t 6 ,:te Bridges .,.."" "„. Cemetery '" U a i S e 9 IAI o f •,...:i.v pM^7i.•e l:.. p,,, k ✓'"tl"w"a d' 1......-or c4 9x i1� `44"'"4"4 1 z o.5... C DUI,.i ,i. wpeo4 ➢ nary ..5... 'irk] .nu,ELY • r.r.w 1. 4111' . ......i 'Sy ,r. ,..L.00( .. n ampr ,.nrivr." A -' M y ri,r^a i • IR uou ere ...on 14, Df.ay} •.r•a i^[vr w. r xorn.n Herr. _ . .o..n..e .w� e I. City Context Map F"':. .... .___.. _.. .._.l „. Lilt_La: m c.:»^i s..n ecei cf office tl..la 1 t�-drsv at Apriled... D. 1916. i s.• (=a) ^2. Lrl rots Rotary publics, ix & tor Lenton Co.. Texts. t . i nit: for record 1Fri1 13,1916 at 10 e'olect A.1. Recorded April 14,1916 at 1.45 o'clock p.m. IRoy Lays County Clerk. BY R. Joe Rogers Deputy, 1 /...... . : i . •-',.....1311 £517 F.R. Bridges et al to Co. Judges. •_.1 •--e:r .M CUE OF TEXAS jt . •j ESTI 0? DEBTOR. NOVEALL LfEN BY TTR 8E PRESEI1TS: Vii. ::� 1 ^'•t:'=tea..: ...i:-.:::.:::,:; . That S!e F. D. Bridges and wife Sallie Bridges of the County of.Dentonand'State f.2.' t "•7s+: {Loreesid, in oonei&eration of the sum of One Dollars to ue in band aid D F.D. Davidson ?k-r;I .a Sandy Judge of Denton as trustee of a Burial ground for the Benefit of the heirs of I. A, j +=.:j,;•(•1•t. Bridges Deceased and their friedds and pubiio and his successor:in Office of the County •, 1/4121,glest.es and State of Texas the receipt 01;,104.011:141 hereby acknnle4ged,�bays greeted, :e • ,' .uf;:' .� :` -. . •••y� ? - Ere i , � �tc. Is-sniped, sold, conveyed, and released, and by these presents do grant; baraaia.,asl. con r t�hy...,�,,..3!n7 sod.release unto the said'P. 11.•.'Bay iedon County Judges of )enton'Bn4 auogeaaolr 1arOffioal• tC,.* Girl and assigns, the following described:.property, towit; Containing one and one half acre , r'K;^t''1`•'f e:laid apart of said land now occupied as a Burial :.L.�•'t p p ground out ofd the 'melt. xesterA..l60 ' • k.!'•. ' said t •�'i% srteaurrey in the name of 7m. A. Pridgen/survey is in Denton County,Texae, situated on the " 1•+•i";{'' vier of Elm Fork a tributary of Trinity River•about ninteen miles S. E. of Denton , Beginning sr •t •„' ;. `!'at a stake from which the Large Elm tree at said Burial ground bears N. 1l W. 42 1/3 verse, ••+�+%t'"••',a me B. 112 7/10 varas a stake from which the above named Elm Bears S. 6; 7. 71 vanes, 1 .I•:.:iia;}: thence J. 75 13/100 varas a stake. thence S. 112 7/10 yarns a 'stake; thence E. 75 13/100 t' ` ►srno to the place of the beginning. Variations of the magnetic needle 9 0 east, sr:.:l .', •. • •' • '.. together with all and singular the rights, members improvements, hereditaments, and i r•t gpasnanoes to the same belonging or in anywise appertaining. 14j... : ,f•:. TO RAVE AND TO HOLD, all and singular the premises above :sentineled unto the said . . •ia astrustee.for eaid grave yard and forever; and we do hereby1pind our heirs, executors and '•c•Y.*•� elminitrators, to warrant and forever defend, •all and singular, the said premises unto the j ' _•' said P. Y. "avidson County Judge of Denton as trustee for said Burial gronnddheirs and W •>,c,-63:,., eaeirns, against every person whomsoever, lawfully claiming or to claim the same, or any art M.s` 1 •'S- thereof. �^j. STITR»SS our band at----this 8 day of February A. D. 1889. . .., F. 11. Bridges, vk'.'4 , iS. C. Bridges. (.^s.. 31LE O3 TZXAS I • .'..••ICC7TTI OP DNDTOR.(( BEFORE 10+, G. A. Hays J. P and Ex Officio Votary IUblio in and for • ,�;; the county of Dsntou on this day personally appeared F. D. Bridges and wife S. C. ridges ; '. Ito cc well known to be the persons whose name are subscribed to the foregoing instrument. 'hal acknowledged to me that 'they executed sand delivered the same for the nu-poises and eon- I ' a h' • jeiteration stated. And the said S. C. Bridges wife of said F. L. Bridges having been •'• ' Te=ethed by as privily and apart from her husband, and having the same fully expalined to 1 , CHS tlsa^a:rd•.s. t:. tr'i'dges-6oknovled •6Q.-su'OD-IAstrnmen'L"C'D-bo-her-act-and--deedTaki.. eelared that she bad willingly signed the same for the, purposes and consideration theretoi •- expressed. and that she aid not wish•to retract it. y f IN TESTIUONY.WHEREO+, I hereunto sign my name and affix the-impress•of my Official Seal, Z • at my office in,Preoinct No.7 this 6 day of Feb.. i..D• 1889.• '• 1 I • G.M. Hays J.F. and Ex Officio Botany public, I I '' I (SEAL) . .in and for Denton Co. Tax. • . Piled,for record Apri1.14,1915 at 1.30 o'clock P.M. recorded April 14,1916 at 1.50 o'clock P.I, . Roy rays County Clerk, BY A.B. Ivey Deputy¢; - . ,I b • • • d No 6602 J. D. Bell to N. D. Bodes. .. . . . . THE STATE OP TEXAS p S COUNTY OP DENTON.I KNOWALL DEN BY THESE PRESENTS: — That. I, J. D. Bell,..of the county of Denton State of Texas, for and in aonaideration+ :... P of FIPTEEp JUNDRED. ( 1500�0p) Dollars to me in hand paid by N. D. Rodes', the reeeipt,of ' ,;;;i' .1 I .a,.' e ,which is hereby.aoknowledged, •have this day.pergained, sold.and-:,coaveyed, and by.these`pre% ':;.* sante dobargain,. sell,;convey and assign unto tho-said IN. 'D. Rodeo three•oertaia vandar!0 i r• v i lien•notei executed by 1. E. Ltdewsll and• :'.7.•A.•ltadswell in fasor of J :.„D. 3a134deaoribet :-. '•••.. as followo,.-towit; `� • - I10.1,, for the swept $600.00 and duo 3rd day of April 1918. • • - • 210.2, for the aiim.cf $600.00 and due 3rd day of April 1919., . _ .; ' '.' , 1 No.3, for the sum of $500.00 and due 3rd day of April 1921. _ - • • ,, 1�,: Said'notes dated•April 3,1916, and bearing interest from date at the rate of eight'per. ),". centum per annum, together with an attorney's fee of ten per cent upon principal and interee if placed in the hands of an attorney for collection, after maturity, or if suit is brought . .,r on eame. . . • ,t • Said notes hating been executed in part payment,for the following described tract of ' land situated in the County of Denton State of Texas, being 98. acres of land out of the - ;_J%. Edley Pritchett survey,- Abstract No. 1020. . . ._ And I'aleo hereby bargain, sell and convey unto the said N. D. Rodes all of'the right;, r?. title and interest owned or held by me in said land by virtue of said notes herein conveyed- .;;... and assigned. • .. . • 'Said land and note being fully set' out and described in a deed duly executed by J. D. . t Bell and wife tohe tsaid: A. 'H. 1-adewell and J. A. 1 adswell and.reoorded in Volucie Page ---- renord of deeds for Denton County,Texas, which is referred to and made a part . , Iyn.1 hereof for further description. . . r, a. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD unto the said N. D. Bodes, hie heirs and assigns, the above des- ;"• oribed•notes together with all and singular the contract lien, vendor's lien, rights, eyuitii• s ' • i titles and interest in said land, which I have by virtue of being the vendor in said deed, and payee in said notes and the legal holder and owner of said note. And I do hereby covenant that said notes are the first and only lien on said land and that all payments, offset° end credits to which said notes are entitled do al.pear on the .. . . ... . ,.. . ....- ,•. . . . . 1- . • NE311.• from • Bribge.5 0.,Tentpirrg l‘ olirtati.Ent . .September, 1986 _ Volume I - Page I • . . 1 .., . TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION APPROVES ..::.: BRIDGES CEMETERY FOR MARKER , . . . . . . Because of the interest of various PLEASE MAKE YOUR.CHECKS PAYABLE TO: descendents, relatives and interested • citizens of Bridges Cemetery, a move was BRIDGES CEMETERY ASSOCIATION • made to acquire an Official Texas MAIL TO: P.O. BOX 1441 , Historical Marker for the Cemetery. The DENTONTX 76202 ., • State Historical Commission through its DO MT SEND CASH TEM= THE MAIL . Marker Committee has granted approval. Efforts of many volunteers prepared We must receive your contributions no later documents over a period of several months. than October 10, 1986. TIME IS imeaceurr. It is now on its way to becoming a reality. Before the State will cast the marker, All excess funds received will be used for funds in the amount of $397.00 must be the care and upkeep of the Bridges 1 collected and sent to the State Historical Cemetery. There will be no paid members of Commission. Only then will the marker be the Association. cast and shipped to us for the installation and dedication. The marker is 18" X 28" SURNAMES OF THOSE BURIED IN THE CMEMTERY i. with a mounting post for placement in the INCLUDING MAIDEN NAMES OF THE WOMEN WHERE cemetery. When the marker is received KNOWN ARE BELOW: ' another newsletter is planned along with i newspaper announcements to notify all about Akers, Ashlock, Bradley, Brady, Bremerton, attending the dedication day. Bratton, Bridges, Cole, Cook,, Davis, Duncan, Donnell, Ellis, 'Fortman, Fouts, tha, ;Gamble, Rays, Herd; Howard, Hughes, Jones, Volunteers spent many hours researching =notary . in lihrariaa, oral intaraiows4. 7ennings, Kemp!',Xingi.MODaniel,-McWhorter, • • going through old :family papers, walking-:.,. Hayes, °Milea•-,i1Morton,',..Nelson,.,.., Netemen, : •. the c.emetejcp locating.descendents.througti .-'.C•glesi..schultzslivietile./. Sher*tiZgater. ---4; local and long distance telephone StOVOC, Trouts'.,Turner,‘'Vardaman4":?-i'- -.:.:: • .-----''': The mailing-labels were volunteered. -:--.- --- -:-", : PLEASE LET us II (OF =ins stio•ARE'BURIED A concentrated effort has been made to,,.THERE SO WE MIGHT DOCUMENT THEIR GRAVES. obtain the names of intersted descendents. . • , , Plana are' being made to have a booklet Please let us know of anyone who did not I ( receive a newsletter and we will mail one printed relating the history' of Bridges' ,s; to them, (addresses please). Time has Cemetery, its peoplei: familiethe settlement, and times it represents. Any . • become a factor, but we will continue with information 'you might write down, copy . your help to locate others. from, , records, pictures, old clippingd of opituaries, will be helpful. ' Information The, cemetery is the last remnant of what f • was once the earliest settlement in Denton ' pany kind will be appreciated. Example: County. There are Civil War Veterans, etc. Some people have remembered the lunch buried there. All of these early settlers gatherings on decoration and cleaning ' . help to make up the early History of Texas. days. Some remembered the man gathering funds for the fence. Others remember hearing how• and when their folks came to The cemetery markers are in surprisingly. good shape with only a few needing repairs. the area. Copies can be made of.. old Plansare being Made- to have someone look pictures at your local Post Office or at them. Commemorative markers honoring super market, as most have a copy machine. war veterans are being researched. (A . . survey sheet below will help us in working . with the cemetery). . . . . . . ' • PLEASE DETACH AND RETURN BY OCTOBER 10, 1986 • . • ' . . . . I will be willing to help the BRIDGES CEMETERY ASSOCIATION BY: 1. Serving on the Board of Directors. • • ___—_. .. [ ] 2. Serving as an officer. — [ 1 3. Participating in work days when able. 4. Assisting with the financial support of the cemetery when possible. [ ] 5. A decoration day should be held each year at the cemetery. [ ] 6. I have- additional information and am either enclosing it, or gathering • it to aend • - r ] 7.' I would like to remain on the mailing list. [ 1 • ' • • PLEASE CHECK TUE APPROPRIATE SQUARE(S) AND RETURN TO: • BRIDGES CEmETERY ASSOCIATION • P.O. BOX 1441, - Dwrrn, TY 7C?0, CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS RESOLUTION NO. 2013 - 01-41-1 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF THE COLONY AND DENTON COUNTY CONCERNING BRIDGES CEMETERY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF THE COLONY, DENTON COUNTY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the parties hereto are political subdivisions of the State of Texas; and WHEREAS, Chapter 791 of the Government Code Interlocal Governmental Cooperation Act provides for contractual agreements between governmental entities; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it would be in the best interest of citizens of The Colony to enter into the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Denton County concerning Bridges Cemetery located in the City of The Colony, Denton County; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY,TEXAS: Section 1. That the Mayor of the City of The Colony, Texas is hereby authorized and empowered to execute an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with Denton County concerning Bridges Cemetery located within the City of The Colony, Denton County. Section 2. That a true and correct copy of the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement is attached hereto and incorporated herein. Section 3. That this resolution shall take effect immediately from and after its passage. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas this 20th day of August, 2013. - / AVCo" •e McCo Ty, Mayor City of The Colony, Te .s 00000000 A ) x11, V. O LESO .r S. • L Christie Wilson, TRMC, City Secretary TE O,„. '' ...IFIIfOflf " ' e ED AS TO F• 'M: .'eff Moore, Ci y Attorney i r i THE STATE OF TEXAS § COUNTY OF DENTON § INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT CONCERNING BRIDGES CEMETERY,LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF THE COLONY,DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS This Interlocal Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement") is entered into pursuant to the provisions of the Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter 791, Texas Government Code, by and between the City of The Colony, a Texas home-rule municipality (hereinafter referred to as the "City"), and the County of Denton, Texas, a political subdivision of the State of Texas (hereinafter referred to as the "County"), for the purposes of the maintenance and improvements made to the Bridges Cemetery (hereinafter referred to as the "Bridges Cemetery"), located within the City of The Colony, Denton County, Texas. WHEREAS, the Interlocal Cooperation Act authorizes local governments to contract with one or more local governments to perform governmental functions and services under the terms of the Act; and WHEREAS, the City and County mutually desire to be subject to the provisions of the Texas Government Code, Chapter 791, the Interlocal Cooperation Act, specifically section 791.011 regarding contracts to perform governmental functions and services; and WHEREAS, on February 8, 1889, the Bridges Cemetery was conveyed by deed (hereinafter referred to as the "Deed") which in relevant part states the following: That We F.M. Bridges and wife Sallie Bridges of the County of Denton and State aforesaid, in consideration of the sum of One Dollars, to me in hand paid by F.M. Davidson County Judge of Denton as trustee of a Burial ground for the Benefit of the heirs of W.A. Bridges Deceased and their friends and public and his successor in office of the County of Denton and State of Texas the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold, conveyed, and released, and by these presents to grant, bargain, sell, convey and release unto the said F.M. Davidson County Judge of Denton and successor in Office heirs and assigns, the following described property, to-wit: . . .; and WHEREAS, Section 713.028(a) of the Texas Health and Safety Code provides that "[for purposes of historical preservation or public health, safety, or welfare, a commissioners court may use public funds, county employees, county inmate labor as provided by Article 43.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, and county equipment to maintain a cemetery that has a grave marker more than 50 years old;" and WHEREAS, Section 713.011(a) of the Texas Health and Safety Code provides that "[a] municipality that operates or has jurisdiction over a public cemetery shall maintain the cemetery in a condition that does not endanger the public health, safety, comfort, or welfare;"and WHEREAS, Section 713.011(b) of the Texas Health and Safety Code provides that [a] municipality's responsibility to maintain a cemetery under this section includes: (1) repairing and maintaining any fences, walls, buildings, roads, or other improvements; (2) leveling or straightening markers or memorials; (3) properly maintaining lawns, shrubbery, and other plants; (4) removing debris, including dead flowers and deteriorated plastic ornaments; and (5) promptly restoring gravesites following an interment; and WHEREAS, the County desires the participation of the City in certain improvements and maintenance of the Bridges Cemetery, located within the City of The Colony, Denton County, Texas (hereinafter referred to as the"Project");and WHEREAS, the City desires to assist the County with the construction of certain improvements and maintenance of the Bridges Cemetery. NOW, THEREFORE, City and County, for the mutual consideration hereinafter stated, agree and understand as follows: SECTION 1. FINDINGS INCORPORATED. • The foregoing recitals are hereby incorporated into the body of this Agreement and shall be considered part of the mutual covenants, consideration, and promises that bind the parties. SECTION 2. TERM. This Agreement shall be effective as of the Effective Date, and shall continue thereafter for a period of one (1) year, unless sooner terminated as provided herein. This Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms, unless terminated as provided herein. SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS. The following words shall have the following meanings when used in this Agreement. (a) Agreement. The word "Agreement" means this Interlocal Cooperation Agreement, authorized by Chapter 791 of the Texas Government Code, as amended, together with all exhibits and schedules attached to this Interlocal Cooperation Agreement from time to time, if any. (b) Bridges Cemetery. The words "Bridges Cemetery" means the real property located at 6421 Morning Star Drive, City of The Colony, Denton County, Texas, and further Page 2 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony, Texas—Denton County Bridges Cemetery 8.12/2013 3:04:47 PM described as the cemetery conveyed by the Deed from F.M. Bridges and wife Sallie Bridges to F.M. Davidson, Denton County Judge, and his heirs, successors, and assigns in office. (c) City. The word "City" means the City of The Colony, Denton County, Texas, a Texas home-rule municipality, whose address for the purposes of this Agreement is 6800 Main Street, The Colony, Texas 75056. (d) County. The word"County" means Denton County, Texas, a Texas political subdivision, whose address for the purposes of this Agreement is 110 W. Hickory, Denton, Texas 76201. (e) Effective Date. The words "Effective Date" mean the date of the latter to execute this Agreement by and between the County and the City. (f) Project. The word "Project" means the removal of the chain link fencing around Bridges Cemetery and the construction and installation of matching wrought iron fencing with appropriate controlled-access gate around Bridges Cemetery. The wrought iron fencing shall match, to the extent commercially possible, the wrought iron fencing currently existing on one(1) side of Bridges Cemetery. (g) Term. The word "Term" means the term of this Agreement as specified in Section 2 of this Agreement. SECTION 4. PROJECT. (a) The Project shall consist of the removal of the existing chain link fencing, and the design and construction of matching wrought iron fencing around Bridges Cemetery, located within the City of The Colony, Denton County, Texas. All Project improvements shall be designed to meet or exceed the current County design standards and shall be constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the City and County. The City shall comply with any state law requirements regarding the advertising, bidding, and awarding of a contract to construct the Project. (b) Pursuant to Section 791.003 of the Texas Government Code, as amended, the parties hereto agree that the purpose of this Agreement is to ensure that certain governmental functions and services in the area of public health and welfare, and other governmental functions in which the contracting parties are mutually interested are to be performed. The parties hereto further agree that each of them is authorized to perform the above described functions and services individually. (c) As evidenced by the signature of the City's representative below, the governing body of the City by the execution of and approval of this Agreement, approves of the expenditure of City money to participate in or to fund the Project. The City agrees to pay a cost not to exceed Forty Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($40,000.00)towards the actual design and Page 3 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony,Texas—Denton County Bridges Cemetery 8/12/2013 3:04:47 PM construction costs for the Project, as its share of the costs in connection with the construction of the Project (hereinafter referred to as the "City's Share"). The City shall make a lump sum payment of the City's Share into a City-established line item account to be used towards the Project within sixty (60) days of the Effective Date of this Agreement. Any remaining funds upon completion of the Project may be used or deposited into a City account to be used for any general municipal purpose. (d) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, all the financial obligations of the City pursuant to this Agreement are subject to appropriations for each budget year during the Term of this Agreement. In the event no funds or insufficient funds are appropriated or budgeted for the intended use under this Agreement, then the City will immediately notify the County of such occurrence, and this Agreement shall terminate on the last day of the fiscal period for which appropriations were received, except as to the portions of payments herein agreed upon for which funds shall have been so appropriated and budgeted. (e) The City will maintain the grounds of the Bridges Cemetery including mowing and hedge trimming, during the Term of this Agreement. SECTION 5. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. (a) Applicable Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, and all obligations of the parties created hereunder are performable in Denton County, Texas. Venue for any action arising under this Agreement shall lie in the State District Courts of Denton County, Texas. (b) Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned without the express written consent of the other party. (c) Caption Headings. Caption headings in this Agreement are for convenience purposes only and are not to be used to interpret or define the provisions of the Agreement. (d) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same document. (e) Entire Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire agreement between City and County and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations and/or agreements, either written or oral. This Agreement may be amended only by written instrument signed by the governing bodies of both the City of The Colony, Texas, and Denton County or those authorized to sign on behalf of those governing bodies. (f) Immunity and Defenses. It is expressly understood and agreed that, in the execution of this Agreement, no party waives, nor shall be deemed hereby to have waived any immunity or defense that would otherwise be available to it against claims arising in the Page 4 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony', Texas—Denton County Bridges Cemetery 8/12.'2013 3:04:47 PM exercise of governmental powers and functions. By entering into this Agreement, the parties do not create any obligations,express or implied, other than those set forth herein, and this Agreement shall not create any rights in parties not signatories hereto. (g) No Third Party Beneficiary. This Agreement is not intended to effect or create any additional rights or obligations on the part of third parties who are not a signatory to this Agreement. (h) Severability Clause. The provisions of this Agreement are severable. If any paragraph, section, subdivision, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Agreement is for any reason held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to law or contrary to any rule or regulation have the force and effect of the law, the remaining portions of the Agreement shall be enforced as if the invalid provision had never been included. (i) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto, their successors, and assigns. Neither of the Parties will assign nor transfer an interest in this Agreement without the written consent of the other party. a) Termination; Notice. This Agreement may be terminated in whole or in part by the County or City upon thirty(30) days' written notice to the other party; provided, however that no such termination may be affected unless the defaulting party is given written notice delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested, of intent to terminate this Agreement. Notice shall be directed as follows: For City: Hon. Joe McCourry City of The Colony Mayor 6800 Main Street The Colony, Texas 75056 Copy to: Jeff Moore Brown and Hofmeister, L.L.P. 740 E. Campbell Road, Suite 800 Richardson, Texas 75081 For County: Hon. Mary Horn Denton County Judge 110 East Hickory Street Denton, Texas 76201 Copy to: District Attorney's Office/Civil Division 1450 East McKinney Street, Suite 3100 Denton, Texas 76209 (k) Time is of the Essence. Time is of the essence in the performance of this Agreement. Page 5 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony, Texas-Demon County Bridges Cemetery 81/2/2013 3:04:47 PM [The Remainder of this Page Intentionally Left Blank] Page 6 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony, Texas—Denton County Bridges Cemetery 8/12/2013 3:04:47 PM APPROVED by the City Council of the City of The Colony, Texas, in its meeting held on the AO day of kiiti„1 v1” ,2013, and executed by its authorized representative. CITY OF THE COLONY,TEXAS a Texas Home-Rule Municipality By: dr ... Joe McCo. ry, Mayor ATTEST: / i i I . . , 7..'1,,,•///.1 J-.1,,k. Q A ,,,( 4dy, i C iristie Wilson, City Secretary 4. APP W,,V�E��D by the County of Denton, Texas, in its meeting held on the 3 day of `(.c rni8( exy ,2013, and executed by its authorized representative. COUNTY OF 1 ENTON, TEXAS By: A? - .- Mary Horn,Anton County Judge ATTEST: Cynthia Mitche\,t my Cl rk • Page 7 of 7 Interlocal Agreement City of The Colony, Texas—Demon County Bridges Cemetery 8/12/2013 3:04:47 PM ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING FOR PERIMETER FENCE REPLACEMENT, BRIDGES CEMETERY, THE COLONY, DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS by Christopher Goodmaster Principal Investigator Michelle Wurtz Penton for THE COLONY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT The Colony,Texas TEXAS ANTIQUITIES PERMIT NUMBER 6823 SHORT REPORT NUMBER 385 VERSAR May 2014 ARCHEOLOGICAL MONITORING FOR PERIMETER FENCE REPLACEMENT, BRIDGES CEMETERY, THE COLONY, DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS by Christopher Goodmaster Principal Investigator Michelle Wurtz Penton for The Colony Parks and Recreation Department 5151 North Colony Boulevard The Colony,Texas 75056 TEXAS ANTIQUITIES PERMIT 6823 SHORT REPORT NUMBER 385 Versar,Inc. 2201 K Avenue, Suite A2 Plano,Texas 75074 May 2014 MANAGEMENT SUMMARY This report presents the results of archeological monitoring conducted by Versar,Inc., for the city of The Colony. The project consists of the replacement of the south and west perimeter fences surrounding Bridges Cemetery (c. 1855-1967), a designated Historic Texas Cemetery in Denton County. Approximately 529 feet of existing chain-link fence was replaced with approximately 541 feet of wrought iron fence installed at the current grade of the landscape. The western fence line was installed approximately 12 feet west of the previous fence to provide an additional buffer around the cemetery. Because the project sponsor and owner is a political subentity of Texas, these investigations were conducted in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act and the Antiquities Code of Texas under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6823. Fieldwork for this project was conducted on 24 March 2014. No human burials, evidence of grave shafts, coffin-related hardware, or in situ grave monuments were encountered within the area of potential effects during monitoring. It is therefore recommended that replacement of the south and west perimeter fences surrounding Bridges Cemetery resulted in no adverse effect to this Historic Texas Cemetery. No artifacts were collected during fieldwork. All other records generated by this project will be permanently curated at the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory in Austin. ii INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of archeological monitoring conducted by Versar,Inc. (project no. G20094.0000.001), for the city of The Colony, Denton County, Texas. The project consists of the replacement of the south and west perimeter fences surrounding Bridges Cemetery (c. 1855- 1967), a designated Historic Texas Cemetery in southeastern Denton County, Texas (Figure 1). Approximately 529 feet (ft; 161 meters [m]) of existing chain-link fence was replaced with approximately 541 ft(165 m) of wrought iron fence installed at the current grade of the landscape (Figure 2). The western replacement fence was installed approximately 12 ft (3.6 m) west of the previous fence to provide an additional buffer around the cemetery (see Figure 2). The existing fence posts were cut at the current ground surface, with the exception of the southwestern corner post,which was completely removed because it had become encased by the growth of an adjacent tree. All other vegetation growing along the existing fences was also cut at the ground surface and removed. The new replacement fence posts were installed in holes excavated with a gasoline-powered auger to a depth of approximately 3 ft (0.9 m). The area of potential effects (APE) encompasses approximately 541 linear-feet (165 linear-meters) of city-owned property. The project sponsor (city of The Colony) is a political subentity of Texas. Thus, these investigations were conducted in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act and the Antiquities Code of Texas under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6823. The purpose of these investigations was to determine the presence/absence of unmarked human burials, evidence of grave shafts, or coffin hardware along the APE within Bridges Cemetery, a designated Historic Texas Cemetery (Texas Administrative Code [TAC] 13, Part 2, Chapter 22 Rule §22.6). Fieldwork was conducted on 24 March 2014 by Versar Project Archeologist Christopher Goodmaster under the direction of Principal Investigator Michelle Wurtz Penton. Although no artifacts were collected during this investigation, all records generated by this project will be permanently curated with the Texas Archeological Research Lab (TARL) in Austin at the conclusion of the project. 1 �- :( ,r 1 .� , moi I, l j i`� I,. • 1 l '� 1. - �i ��+-� ■ m......0.116 iy ire /"^,_ -1i1 : 1 210.11044 4644ir er ♦w. �` Illirtt- :� 'f , y, Y. 1..111 Illit l` J �C ...i) .'1\ fi`'; , i ;-i ^ 4/`7\ f{ f'-'•'0.-:•'*-- : r u C"-=i,3/;'Thi. olany r 1 ,, (�'� �;, r rt 1:'-.0+ J _ °585 _�. _ ��--� � �.•. j Y O ?'1,.\' „--,i, ti'r'\,.--1‘..i .'•.2''; //'''`Nit;','',ilNi:,_,ACiM.1 i -, ( r '� "ii'.�r�SRI I I I \ I _ t i :._sa ---''------ --i � 3 f = 1 0° i _ _ i 17 J�c 'llr i f� et i. 1 / 6 1 I `st.' ` 'ii .7 ; / (L ,1 \,_ ,x ,_:,,,t,..-4-5.,..,.,„„„:,,,, ] i' o j ` ' , © `�4— Brides Cemeter B ,4- ` __.. _._ -,,::,..,--ore, }_ — an i � .' _ A F m 1 J I /( a } � 11 ' 1 i .`\ \ IIII • / I / •.r (1 6 ir.. ;r 1 = � ( .i7 —\- t ; -• Came •; �'� % _ ,/'�..) j t F?Oi 6 6 , / �. ti ,-,...-%,--...4.-t. .',.. 41;::-!"..-;..-2.71,,F1; } 1 u �,i I ` h1„11 / i , ' 17 ,,.. •� .-s e;_:Jrt,';_-t / CORP BOY` -INDEF — I ———— r o fi ._''''' \ t% l I • j 1--i,K 1� l \ '�\ 1 I n Pits .u ;\ ) N �.t - \� i I g 0 I /9/ I Ill- ..., 1 4 i _ -. 603 < ci ' t—�;-��T ii, ,,,.\, ,, , , , ,___ ___, ,,..... ,. .<,-)?/\-• \ -.,C. L/ Q., • i — 1 e i 1, . - t _ 4`/� N I 7 - ,. I Oi I Li ‘,) -Cemetery — -- — �' i fir--•--_./. _ i 1 ,0 0.1 o.z o.a o.a os 1\ /r i; ; it I'1 (�Q_� I( "��--\) er'; - ....„1 \___, \.... 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 J la iJ r 77,/ 1 n% [.(> `,_:,..1 f Vi rr la , ; �l/ \Ir G:\G20nx\620094.0001 Bridges etery\F.igu e'3 ropo.mxd Source:Hebron(1981)USGS 73'topographic quadrangle 11 I, i� Figure 1. Location of Bridges Cemetery in The Colony,sotheastern Denton County,Texas. 2 i '1101 Existing fence c t t New fence i Pit Utility box N 0 Fiber-optic lineA 0 a iv : . , g , r 0 0 .Y Earthen berm -� ,— 00 �} ± ••••••Drainage Swale r-- 0 ,, , a 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 f ! t 0 10 20 30 H— 0 t • Source:Esri,DigitalGto be,GeoEye,I-cubed,USDA, --I p_:O Ali '-1 t 6 USGS,AEX,Getmapping,Aerogrid,IGN,IGP, v.0 wisstopo,and the GIS User Community , • 0 Water '-7 t 4. e 4 . , t .114 d0 tower .� _. ► 10 . `• • 0 .,,,,. ,,, ii fi‘k ., . f. 1,41 ._ • . .,:„.,,� ` tl 1 0,_le Allti. —4 : 0 w o°o t �-;0 A Ha s famil plot r- t i krill° " . Fieldstone& F. 4lif i mussel shell y l • Mussel shell Chesapeake Dr concentration ay - . _� _ ��czmucS0000r e,meecemmC Srieue_n=anm. Figure 2. Plan map of Bridges Cemetery. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The project area is located within the gently rolling uplands of the Blackland Prairie in southwestern Denton County, Texas (Griffith et al. 2004). This region is located within the Texan biotic province (Blair 1950), which supports a variety of flora and fauna. Native vegetation includes bluestem, dropseeds, eastern gamagrass, switchgrass, and yellow Indiangrass in prairie ecosystems and bois d'arc, eastern red cedar, hackberry, cottonwood, elm, oak, and pecan in riparian corridors (Telfair 1999); however, the native vegetation of the area has largely been replaced by domesticated and invasive species. The project area occupies an elevation of approximately 189 in(620 ft) above mean sea level (amsl) with a slope of 1-3 percent. The soils in this region are predominantly clay-rich vertisols derived from the in situ weathering of the undifferentiated Quaternary surface deposits mantling the underlying limestone of the Cretaceous-age Eagle Ford Formation (McGowen et al. 1991). The soil of the project area is mapped as Branyon clay, a very deep, moderately well drained, very slowly penneable clay formed in the calcareous sediments of Pleistocene terrace landfonns (Ford and Pauls 1980; Natural Resources Conservation Service 2014). The project area occupies a generally level interfluvial upland between Steward Creek,now inundated by Lewisville Lake,and Indian Creek. HISTORY In 1841, the Republic of Texas legislature authorized the first and most successful empresario contract between the Republic and William S. Peters and nineteen associates to promote settlement in North Texas. The contract obligated the Texas Emigration and Land Company of Louisville, Kentucky, commonly referred to as the Peters Colony, to recruit new settlers, survey more than 16,000 square miles of land, and issue land titles to settlers within all or parts of what are now twenty-six counties across North Texas. The W. A. Bridges family settled the general vicinity of what is now The Colony in 1843, purportedly making it one of the oldest settlements and centers of domestic and agricultural activity in the Peters Colony. The property encompassing Bridges Cemetery was granted to W. A. Bridges in 1850 and the cemetery was established in the mid-to-late 1850s. The property was deeded to Denton County by Francis M. and Sallie Bridges in 1889 and recently carne under the stewardship of the city of The Colony Parks and Recreation Department. 4 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS The grave locations within Bridges Cemetery were initially inventoried in March 1980. The cemetery was designated as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 1986. The existing monuments within the cemetery were re-inventoried in 2006 by Bob Leahy. Recent efforts by The Colony Parks and Recreation Department have focused on stewardship of the site and protecting it from vandalism. MONITORING METHODS Prior to removal of the existing chain-link fence,the APE was visually examined to determine the presence of unmarked graves along the existing fence. Marked grave locations in close proximity to the fence were noted, as were the locations of any fieldstones or historic period surface artifacts. Excavation of each new fence post hole was monitored by inspecting the excavated soil and the exposed soil profile exposed in each of the auger holes. Representative soil profiles were recorded from selected auger holes. Digital photographs were used to document the project area. All records generated from this project will be permanently housed at TARL in Austin at the conclusion of the project. RESULTS Bridges Cemetery is located in a generally level upland setting that has rapidly transitioned from a rural landscape to a residential suburban landscape. Residential development within the vicinity of the project area has occurred over the last 10-15 years in response to the rapid growth of The Colony and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in general. A water tower, located immediately west of the cemetery,was constructed in 2001 and includes an earthen berm approximately 3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m) above the natural grade of the landform and an adjacent drainage swale parallels the western boundary of the cemetery (see Figure 2; Figure 3). Buried natural gas utilities exist near the northwest and southwest corners of the cemetery. A buried fiber optic cable parallels the southern boundary of the cemetery along a steep slope grading down to Chesapeake Drive (Figure 4). 5 . Pio,' ',Aith -dir-. '• %„A 4.p.44,44;i4 , Pk 1'•4'.1r- itir ;-;•,j %it: ,...:. .....A.:All& :.,,, ove r , 1,, , ,•-,,,,i _ .,,0. .. v.,„.. .,„ ;7. • — • ,.4 01 • . • :•1)0 411ii VA) r • ' , •''' t ' AO. . .s,ork.. • *1 ,, 0101011, • A,44eIsi•• ,a, I —. ' A 11 ....m AIL\i F 4,-04; , ' ' va•0 ..°11 _ 4 11111PIPIRIF _ tw, •::,e,:l.F.—111111:-.10,•,..„,....%• Aora ••• Wi r 14 ..I '11 ..1........` ' ' _"-t="1-2.4-•'',: !." L....-I, - ..'' ' i,,,,rit... ',•=ta,y.....u.,..-,...-"......,4 ...,..-.. ..-- "Ingq411111.11351r t r....,........-4,,,..,,..,,,, 'N 0,,,..<44,- • -. 1.4....--..,,r7..... .' .. --.... :.. , .---,... . — - - .-1--,':-,-.,..:.-,..4-,..,.. ..-,.,.- . ...,.. .. ,. ..,... — ,. .,-P, -, ',',Nr ' - '.. .. .; .:i•• , , ' --...1- -*--- ....., ,, , 0,, , .1 _ s.. _r _ , .. ,- . ' ......!...- .-.:,---,..---:.: - :.;.-.:f...4: - - ,..,:,--:---Nt- .,,, 44.....4,.......„, .,-"="ii+ro--,.. ., ,... •--,,,-..4:1* -,..,7,..7;:-,-.046-. .-;;:;:,.*--viiii.,,,`...-..,,,-s*i... ,,,,I, ,,, ..'s..7,X,11,7!'-' ‘-;'1'4'42 4••4* ' . ',- s', 'i'''' 1. .1-: 11414 14 a,. .,„.,.,„.. ;. :20.41,:. , .,+-,. ,i.•$,,.:ir 7,1.,14....:4;,4,4'- .„,f ii,,,,.-F,:' 1'tPii..?S'..:.;.1...,01..4.;',kr.g.".:.4.47"'".;. , .. , :i,,,. WI' , 4,41,2,til 4i.':IC:: • < , . . ,.., 0.4•1• I frikil',/ t .441Q. .' ' • ;I Figure 3. Earthen berm and drainage swale along western boundary of Bridges Cemetery,vie IA to the north. -4:-, • 4 / - ..-,--,lit, "i, ..'t''''. -,-.. ' ' • •4:oriew, : . gsg. •" 1104064 Air'' ;,, -A '041 - —------, „.-t(m-. -, ,' ' - • - * , . .., . •,.. ,. c„. • .,•.. ,A I ilt:-., ' ' ,--f- `6---,iti..''',,,,7',• :',V,v ,i17 -3°, .‘;+ .`•,,t... 4, . .>, ;,:., :: t ; 4 ,, . „. . t ,...,, • P•:cue -i. , .. ! - :,i, '..,'4,''‘•i,.‘4. . . , ,` ''"4•0% , , ., .,... •...,0, _ .. 011111i • II' ii . i . _ 1 , ,. 11 • i , -"---, ,- •....i '4, . "'” .7 :,- 4i, : : 444 'up tw• 7 4.'r -Ir ollibillWit. ' .'_ _ :, • , . . - •'' -- . ''' . 41114/6t.*A:4,7.01 ' • r_ , 1, ., ,—- .. - r l .' . '. Figure 4. Fiber optic cable and Chesapeake Drive along southern boundary of Bridges Cemetery,view to the west. 6 Surface artifacts, primarily consisting of mussel shell likely originating as grave decorations, are ubiquitous within Bridges Cemetery. The practice of decorating graves with shells has its roots among African American burial practices in the coastal South (Bolton 1891; Ingersoll 1892),but expanded to other cultural groups during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Heege 1998), including European Americans in the Upland South (Jeane 1978), as well as Mexican and Hispanic groups in the Rio Grande valley (West 1985), and Native American groups in East Texas (Kremenak-Pecotte 1985). Mussel shells were observed in many portions of Bridges Cemetery, including a concentration along the southern fence adjacent to the southwest corner of the Hays family plot (see Figure 2), where quantities of mussel shell were also observed. Relatively large, intact mussel shells and shell fragments were gathered from the APE and deposited inside the cemetery away from the area of disturbance. Two fieldstones were observed along the southern fence. One of these fieldstones, located on the ground surface approximately 168 ft (51 m) west of the southeastern cemetery corner (see Figure 2), appears to have been recently deposited along the fence. Four mussel shells were also observed in this area on the ground surface. The second fieldstone, located approximately 184 ft (56 m) west of the southeastern fence corner (see Figure 2), was observed encased in a tree root along the existing fence. This fieldstone may have been deposited along the fence at an earlier point in the cemetery's history. In total, 31 fence posts were installed along the southern cemetery boundary and 39 fence posts were installed along the western cemetery boundary. Soils observed within auger holes excavated along the southern APE generally conformed to those expected within upland Blackland Prairie landforms. Auger holes excavated near the southeastern corner of the cemetery exhibited relatively intact soil profiles, consisting of very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) clay with few calcium carbonate nodules to a depth of approximately 80 centimeters (cm; 31 inches [in]) overlying dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) clay with common calcium carbonate nodules. Soils observed within auger holes excavated near the southwestern corner of the cemetery exhibited truncated soil profiles due to grading and recontouring the landform in transition to the adjacent residential neighborhood. Soil profiles along the western cemetery boundary, excavated at the margin of the earthen berm, overwhelmingly exhibited signs of disturbance, typically as very gravelly and sandy construction fill with large angular limestone gravels and fragments of concrete, due to construction of the adjacent water tower and landscaping to create the earthen berm and 7 drainage swale. No human burials, evidence of grave shafts, or coffin-related hardware were encountered during monitoring activities. RECOMMENDATIONS Archeological monitoring, conducted during the replacement of the southern and western perimeter fences at Bridges Cemetery, encountered no inadvertent discoveries of human burials, evidence of grave shafts, coffin-related hardware, or in situ grave monuments. Based on the results of this monitoring, there is little to no potential for the replacement of the southern and western perimeter fences at Bridges Cemetery to have disturbed any graves associated with the cemetery. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.4(d)(2) and 13 TAC 26.2,no further cultural resources investigations are recommended. 8 REFERENCES CITED Blair,W.F. 1950 The Biotic Provinces of Texas. Texas Journal of Science 2:93-117. Bolton,H. C. 1891 Decoration of Graves of Negroes in South Carolina. Journal of American Folk-Lore 4(12):214. Ford,A.,and E. Pauls 1980 Soil Survey of Denton County, Texas. Soil Conservation Service. Government Printing Office,Washington,D. C. Griffith, G. E., S. A. Bryce, J. M. Omernik, J. A. Comstock, A. C. Rodgers, B. Harrison, S. L. Hatch,and D.Bezanson 2004 Ecoregions of Texas. U.S. Geological Survey, United States Depaitment of Interior, Washington,D.C. Heege,K.V. 1998 "They're Pretty, But They're Work": Shell-Decorated Graves as Community Art. Folklore Forum 29(1):65-98. Ingersoll,E. 1892 Notes and Queries.Journal ofAmerican Folk-Lore 5(16):68. Jeane,D. G. 1978 The Upland South Cemetery: An American Type. Journal of Popular Culture 11(1):895-903. Kremenak-Pecotte,B. 1985 At Rest: Folk Art in Texas Cemeteries. In Folk Art in Texas,edited by F.E.Abernethy, pp. 54-63. Southern Methodist University Press,Dallas,Texas. McGowen,J. H.,T. F. Hentz,D.E. Owen,M.K.Pieper,C.A. Shelby,and V.E. Barnes 1991 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Sherman Sheet. Walter Scott Adkins Memorial Edition. Bureau of Economic Geology,The University of Texas at Austin. Natural Resources Conservation Service 2014 Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Official Soil Series Descriptions Online. Available from http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/osd/index.html. Accessed 23 March 2014. Telfair,R. C. (editor) 1999 Texas Wildlife Resources and Land Uses. University of Texas Press,Austin. West,J. O. 1985 Folk Grave Decoration Along the Rio Grande. In Folk Art in Texas, edited by F. E. Abernethy,pp. 46-51. Southern Methodist University Press,Dallas,Texas. 9