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Western Heights Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in West Dallas 75208, Texas. It was established in 1878 and covers over 160 acres of land. The cemetery has been the final resting place for many prominent people including John Neely Bryan, one of the founders of Dallas, and Patrick William “Pegleg” Smith who traveled with Sam Houston’s army to San Antonio during the Texas Revolution.
History
This old cemetery is located in West Dallas, Texas, and has been the final resting place for many prominent people. It was established in 1878 and covers over 160 acres of land. The most notable burial site belongs to John Neely Bryan who helped found Dallas in 1841 along with his brother-in-law, Samuel May Williams.
Another famous person buried here is Patrick William “Pegleg” Smith who traveled with Sam Houston’s army to San Antonio during the Texas Revolution when he lost a leg while fighting against Mexican troops at Goliad on March 27th,1836. He later served as mayor of Gonzales from 1840 until 1844 before moving to Austin where he died on February 28th, 1880.
In addition to the two men, Western Heights Cemetery is also home to many other notable figures from Texas history. The gravesite of several members of the De Zavala family who were prominent in early Texas politics can be found here along with a few Confederate veterans and even some Civil War soldiers. Visitors have reported that they have seen spectral orbs floating around these gravesites at night which has led others to believe that this cemetery may be haunted.
Western Heights Cemetery covers over 160 acres, making it one of the largest cemeteries in Dallas County. In addition to being historically significant, due to its ties with the local legend about ghosts inhabiting certain areas within the graveyard, it’s also been quite popular for paranormal investigators looking for evidence of ghost activity.
Why is It a Tourist Attraction?
This old cemetery in West Dallas, Texas is a popular tourist attraction due to the historical significance of its residents and their supposed haunting by ghosts. Also, it’s been used on countless occasions by paranormal investigators in their quest to prove the existence of ghosts.