SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 718

	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 
join members of De Maria de la Luz, Incorporated, and the
Travis County Historical Commission on the occasion of the 
dedication of a historical marker designating Cementerio 
Mexicano de Maria de la Luz as a Texas Historic Cemetery by the 
Texas Historical Commission; and

	WHEREAS, The dedication ceremony will be held on May 1, 2005,
for the cemetery, which is located at 7200 Circle S Road in 
Austin; the cemetery dates to 1912, when, it is said, a family was 
traveling southward away from Austin with a sick child; the 
child, whose name was Maria de la Luz, died, and a local landowner 
granted permission for the family to bury their child nearby; and

	WHEREAS, What is known for certain is that on
August 3, 1912, three men, Arcidio Donley, Antonio C. Rodriguez, 
and Severiano Galvan, purchased one acre of land from W. G. Bell 
for use as a Mexican cemetery; these men, their descendants, and 
family members would look after the modest burial ground; and

	WHEREAS, In the late 1940s, a group of young men who were 
the caretakers gathered to discuss cleaning the cemetery 
grounds, which were overgrown with tall grass and weeds; they 
made the unfortunate decision to have a controlled burn to clear 
the site, and the fire got away from them and consumed the wooden 
crosses that marked many grave sites; and

	WHEREAS, The cemetery remained an old country cemetery 
until the 1970s when Austin began growing south of Stassney Lane; 
in 2002, an apartment complex was built on the west and south 
boundaries of the cemetery; the developer erected an iron fence, 
and a number of grave markers were lost or damaged in the process; 
and

	WHEREAS, Descendants and future plot owners gathered to 
discuss the degrading of the site and formed De Maria de la Luz, 
Incorporated, a nonprofit plot owners association; because of 
their hard work, the cemetery is now a clean and safe place for 
families to pay their respects and to honor those who came before 
them; and

	WHEREAS, The designation of Cementerio Mexicano de Maria 
de la Luz as a Texas Historic Cemetery will assure that the 
cemetery will be maintained for future generations and for all 
citizens of Texas; now, therefore, be it

	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, hereby commend all involved with the 
preservation of Cementerio Mexicano de Maria de la Luz for their 
work on this project and extend best wishes to all attending the 
dedication of the Texas Historic Cemetery Marker; and, be it 
further

	RESOLVED, That a copy of the Resolution be prepared as a 
memento of this special day.
                                                                      Barrientos




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on April 29, 2005.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate