Rendon Cemetery
From the museum, take Main Street to FM 1187. Turn west on 1187 to Rendon Road crossing. Cemetery is located in SW corner of intersection. This cemetery is located at the crossroads of Highway 1187 and Rendon-Forest Hill Drive, five miles east of I-35W (Mapsco grid 121K).
History
In 1981, the cemetery contained 435 marked graves and 45 unidentified graves.
The area where the present Rendon Cemetery stands was deeded to the community by WL. Norwood in 1897. The first grave is disputed to be either Elizabeth (Lizzie) Huston, a member of the Washam family, or as another source reports, the grave of a baby resting under present F.M. 1187. The early care of the cemetery was accepted by the citizens of the community as their responsibility. Most were farmers and would take a day off from their duties to have a general cleaning when necessary. Later, interested people formed a cemetery association.
It was organized on May 29, 1955 at the Retta Baptist Church. In 1957, the Association decided to raise funds for a fence around the cemetery and in 1964, at a total cost of $1,085.50 the project was complete. Today, the cemetery had reached near its capacity and it had become necessary to close it. Many pioneer spirits were laid to rest in the Rendon Cemetery. The cemetery contains a large granite monument dedicated to the local veterans. The installation of this monument was spearheaded by the late Barbara Maxwell, a leader in the Cemetery Association.