Shiner in Lavaca County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
SPJST Shiner Cemetery
Czech Texans and members of the Lodge Texasky Mir No. 10 Shiner established this cemetery on April 14, 1906 to provide a burial place for SPJST (Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas) members and their families. Local and regional SPJST ministers provided funeral and burial services to its members in the Czech language. The SPJST Shiner Cemetery contains over 200 burials, many of them Catholic and Protestant Czech names are found on the headstones and over forty are inscribed in the Czech language. Gravestone materials include granite, marble and funeral company markers. Prior to 1970, a metal arch sign marked the entrance of the cemetery with the Czech words, "Narodni Hrbitov" (National Cemetery).
All of the graves are oriented in a feet-to-east position, a tradition in the Czech culture. None of the SPJST charter members are buried here, but several charter members from SPJST lodges outside of Shiner are buried in the cemetery this includes Jakub Vackar, a charter member of Lodge No. 19, Velehrad, President of the Congregation of Freethinkers in Lavaca and Fayette counties and president of other lodges in the area. Some members of the Odbocka C.N.S. of Shiner, a branch of the Czech National Association that helped raise funds for the new, struggling nation of Czechoslovakia, are also buried in the SPJST Shiner Cemetery. In addition, many veterans of World War I, World War II and the Korean War are buried here. The cemetery is a reminder of the strong fraternal bonds of the Czech community. The SPJST District VI Cemetery Organization, established in 2002, maintains this historic cemetery.
Historic Texas Cemetery - 2011
Erected 2011 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17110.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. A significant historical date for this entry is April 14, 1906.
Location. 29° 26.773′ N, 97° 10.919′ W. Marker is in Shiner, Texas, in Lavaca County. Marker is on County Highway 348, 0.3 miles west of Avenue B (County Highway 351), on the left when traveling west. The marker is located at the western entrance to the cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Shiner TX 77984, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. All Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Shiner Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); Shiner Colored Cemetery (approx. ¼ mile away); United Evangelical Lutheran Dr. Martin Luther Church (approx. 0.9 miles away); Captain Charles Welhausen (approx. 1.1 miles away); Welhausen Park Bandstand (approx. 1.1 miles away); Shiner, Texas (approx. 1.1 miles away); Scrap Iron Drive (approx. 1.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shiner.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 12, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 12, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 146 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 12, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.