🎉 Square Dancing, Pizza & Preservation: Dixon Cemetery Festival
Connecting with Readers, Cemetery Fans, and Texas History Buffs in a historic Texas cemetery.
What a day!
I just got back from the 40th anniversary celebration for the Abandoned Cemetery Association of Parker County (aka the ACA), and I’m still smiling. The event was held at Dixon Cemetery, which—hard as it is to believe—was completely overgrown with tall grass and poison ivy 40 years ago. Thanks to the tireless work of the ACA, it’s now a peaceful, well-kept place full of history and charm.
ACA vice president, Chuck Dolbee, invited me to give a talk on one of my favorite topics: Understanding Cemetery Symbols. I had a blast explaining cemetery iconography to a gathering that ranged from ages 12 to 98.
So many curious, thoughtful people! I even got to catch up with longtime newsletter reader Tammy Love. What a treat to meet face-to-face and chat in person with her.
The cemetery festival was jam-packed with activities and good vibes. Here are just a few highlights:
🎶 Live music by the Milsap Jammers
💃 A local square dancing club, complete with a “caller” expertly leading their maneuvers (so fun to watch!)
🍕 Free wood-fired pizza and ice cream—yes, please!
🧽 Headstone cleaning & repair demos by Mike Rowlands and Dale Ellison.
➕ A cross-making tutorial using PVC—these are used to mark fieldstones so they aren't mistaken for random rocks and can help prevent damage from mowing.
Here are some photos from the Dixon Cemetery festival today:
Mike Rowlands also shared his treasure trove of books and resources for cemetery preservation, which got me thinking…
💬 Let’s make a list together!
I’m planning a future post that rounds up the best historic cemetery resources out there.
So please tell me:
📚 What are your favorite books, websites, apps, or tools related to cemetery research and preservation?
Drop a comment and let me know (or email me at Tui@TuiSnider.com) I’d love to include your suggestions in the roundup.
As for book sales, Understanding Cemetery Symbols, Paranormal Texas, and 6 Feet Under Texas all did well, but the surprise hit? The Santa Claus Bank Robbery! I guess true crime + Texas history = crowd pleaser when you’re at a historic cemetery festival.
And the weather? Glorious! After a soggy stretch of thunderstorms, we had sunshine all day. Sure, it was hot and humid, but I’ll take a sweatfest over lightning and hail —especially at an outdoor event.
All in all, it was a lively, meaningful celebration of cemetery preservation and community spirit. Huge thanks again to Chuck Dolbee and everyone who made it such a wonderful day!
Until next time,
Tui