Alvarado in Johnson County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Balch-Senterwood Cemetery
Photographed by James Hulse, April 7, 2023
1. Balch-Senterwood Cemetery Marker
Among those buried here are victims of an epidemic of smallpox, and other diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, and tuberculosis. Casualties included numerous children. The need for burial space became acute by 1911 following these disease-related deaths.
A.J. Senter, local businessman and undertaker, donated additional land to the Alvarado "Colored" Cemetery in 1911. The site was renamed Senterwood Cemetery in his honor. The need for more burial plots in the 1940s was resolved through the purchase of one acre of land by the Baker Funeral Home of Fort Worth.
Interments in this cemetery include many business owners, church leaders, and veterans of World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Cemetery maintenance, previously dependent upon local volunteers, was performed under the direction of the Johnson County Cemetery Association. The Balch-Senterwood Cemetery continues to serve the surrounding communities.
Erected 1996 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 285.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
Location. 32° 24.213′ N, 97° 12.999′ W. Marker is in Alvarado, Texas, in Johnson County. It is on South Parkway Drive 0.1 miles north of West Cotter Avenue, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located along the west fence to the cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 205 South Parkway Drive, Alvarado TX 76009, United States
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region and in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Balch Cemetery (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Site of Alvarado School, Church and Union Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Methodist Church (approx. Ό mile away); Alvarado Masonic Lodge No. 314, A.F. & A.M. (approx. 0.3 miles away); Outlaws Benjamin Bickerstaff and Josiah Thompson (approx. 0.3 miles away); Alvarado (approx. 0.4 miles away); Johnson County Pioneers and Old Settlers Reunion (approx. half a mile away); Alvarado Glenwood Cemetery (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alvarado.
Additional commentary.
1. Cemetery not in good condition; inquiry on a grave marker
I walked through
Photographed by James Hulse, April 7, 2023
2. The front gate to the Balch-Senterwood Cemetery and Marker
If anyone with ancestors from Alvarado who may know the name of the slave girl who was killed by the bear, that would be fantastic. I was attempting to show a friend the marker. I had seen it once around 2009. It said, if I remember correctly '5 year old black girl killed by bear'. But my daughter disagrees. She thinks it said 'black girl killed by bear' If anyone has any info please share. Thank you.
— Submitted September 1, 2024.
Photographed by James Hulse, April 7, 2023
3. The view of the Balch-Senterwood Cemetery and Marker from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on September 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 757 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
