Near Climax in Collin County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Van Winkle Cemetery
Historic Texas Cemetery
This burial ground has served the residents of Climax since the mid-1800s. The Climax community dates to 1851, when William Warden, a farmer from Missouri, settled here with his family. The rural community grew and by the 1890s, it had two cotton gins, a grain elevator, a school, a church, a blacksmith shop and a general store. Most residents of the community were farmers who established small, family owned farms that produced mostly wheat and corn. Climax reached its peak population around 1910, when about 100 residents lived here. Afterwards, the settlement declined, though it continued to serve as a retail point for local farmers into the late 1960s.
This cemetery is named for David Van Winkle, who surveyed property lines in the area around Climax; the Texas government compensated him with land. A small portion of which the Van Winkle cemetery. The earliest marked grave here is of M.L. Warnburg (d. 1867), an infant. However there are multiple unmarked graves in the cemetery, and oral tradition states that the earliest interment was of a slave. Other individuals interred here include Abraham Recer (d. 1870) who built and operated a toll bridge that crossed Sister Grove creek, and W.K. Long (d. 1932), a local business owner. Van Winkle cemetery also contains graves of military veterans. Features include vertical stones, obelisks and curbing. In 1974, the Van Winkle cemetery foundation organized to care for the burial ground. Additional property was added in 1976 and 2007. Today, Van Winkle cemetery continues to serve the residents of Climax community.
Erected 2009 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15911.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1851.
Location. 33° 11.921′ N, 96° 27.053′ W. Marker is near Climax, Texas, in Collin County. Marker is on County Highway 1377, 0.4 miles County Road 496, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3825 FM1377, Princeton TX 75407, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Pleasant Grove Cemetery (approx. 1.9 miles away); Site of World War II Prisoner of War Camp (approx. 3˝ miles away); Verona Methodist Church (approx. 3.8 miles away); Huson Cemetery (approx. 4.3 miles away); Farmersville (approx. 5.3 miles away); Farmersville I.O.O.F. Cemetery (approx. 5.4 miles away); First National Bank of Farmersville (approx. 5.7 miles away); First Methodist Church of Farmersville (approx. 5.8 miles away).
Credits. This page was last revised on July 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 23, 2020, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. This page has been viewed 202 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on July 11, 2022, by Joe Lotz of Denton, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on December 23, 2020, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. 2. submitted on December 24, 2020, by Jesse Nelsen of Farmersville, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.