Texas Historical Marker #06773
Little Bethel Cemetery. Burials of two small children opened this cemetery in 1856. The oldest stone (1858) commemorates Etna Barker, of a pioneer family. Some relatives of John Neely Bryan, first settler in Dallas, are buried here. This was once the site of a small church that was later relocated in Cedar Hill. Landowner Crawford Trees donated original burial ground in 1860. Judge William B. Hamilton added acreage in 1936 and 1951. There are now 1,000 graves. Little Bethel became a memorial park with perpetual care in 1966. #6773
1803 Cedar Hill Rd., Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #06814
Penn Springs. This area was an important early campsite and watering spot for Indians and pioneer settlers. Two springs formed a natural pool which served as a landmark for wagon trains and cattle drives on the Shawnee Trail. In the 1850s the site was settled by the family of Maj. John Penn of Illinois, who had first visited here in 1848. On July 4, 1882, Penn Springs was the scene of a Confederate reunion of Parson's Texas Cavalry. Owned by Penn Family members until 1895, the springs have continued to play an important role in the development of Duncanville. #6814
?, Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #12378
Trees Cemetery. Crawford Trees (1823-1889) came to Texas in 1845. He and fellow Illinois native Anna Kimmel (1831-1913) were married in 1846. Crawford went to California during the Gold Rush in 1849, returning to Texas two years later with enough money to purchase 5,458 acres of land. In 1855, he and Anna, eventually the parents of ten children, donated land for a community school and church. They established this cemetery when Anna's brother, Philip Kimmel, and a friend, William Stiles, were killed in a shooting on August 21, 1856. Primarily a family burial ground, the cemetery also contains the graves of a number of family friends. Maintained by a family association, the cemetery remains in use by Trees descendants. (2001) #12378
1500 Santa Fe Trail, Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #14435
Pelt, John C.. #14435
415 Hustead Street, Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #06680
Duncanville. This area was first settled in the 1840s and 1850s by pioneer farmers and ranchers. In 1881 the Chicago, Texas & Mexican Central Railroad extended a line here and constructed a switching station. John Duncan, who lived in the vicinity, was instrumental in securing railroad right-of-way. As a result, the area became known as Duncan Switch. Charles P. Nance and Chris Horne opened the first business in the area, a store at this site. Nance applied for a post office for Duncan but was denied because there was already a Duncan, Texas. He then changed the name to Duncanville. On Oct. 12, 1882, the post office was approved and opened in the store. Acquired by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad in 1883, the rail line through this area allowed local goods to be shipped to distant markets. Duncanville's growth was gradual, however, and by the 1930s only about 300 people lived here. Incorporated in 1947 with D. L. Hopkins, Jr. as the first mayor, the town began to experience Rapid Growth in the 1950s and 1960s as a result of nearby urban development. Today, Duncanville serves as the center of a major commercial area. Its continued development as one of the fastest growing towns in Texas reflects its rich heritage and community pride. 1982 #6680
?, Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #06793
Music Room. Following a Duncanville town meeting in 1887 in which opposition to building a new school was high due to the possibility of increased taxes, six citizens donated funds to construct the school. The following year Robert N. Daniel donated money for a music room to be added to the property. It was constructed as a separate building and housed a piano for music instruction. When the school was razed, the little music room was left standing. It was used for storage until it was relocated in 1975 and restored for use as a museum. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 #6793
100 E. Center St., Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #06695
First Christian Church of Duncanville. This congregation traces its origin to informal services held in Duncanville (Est. 1882) in the early 1890s by the Rev. G. Q. Grasty of nearby Lancaster. According to local tradition Robert N. Daniel, the son of a local Baptist preacher, and his wife Frances A. (Palmer) played an important role in the formal organization of the congregation in 1893. They were among the church's seventeen charter members. Services were held in a schoolhouse until 1913 when a sanctuary was built with funds donated by Robert and Frances. In 1916 Frances deeded the land on which the church was built to the congregation. Misfortune struck when the sanctuary was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1917 and the bank entrusted with funds to replace it failed. The congregation persevered and completed a new sanctuary in 1919. A classroom, choir loft, and two wings were added to the structure in 1923. Weekly services began in 1949. The church built a new sanctuary here in 1959 on a lot it had purchased from a Daniel family member in 1953. The church added an educational wing in 1968 and fellowship hall in 1988. First Christian Church continues to serve local citizens with a variety of educational and community outreach programs. #6695
206 S. Ave. C, Duncanville, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #06706
First United Methodist Church of Duncanville. This congregation grew from a Union Sunday School that was organized in 1882, soon after the railroad reached Duncanville. Classes met weekly at Union Hall, an interdenominational place of worship that had served the surrounding communities for several years. The Methodist Church in Duncanville was organized officially in 1883 with fourteen charter members and the Rev. George W. Owens as its first pastor. In 1889, during the pastorate of the Rev. C. G. Shutt, the congregation erected its first church building at this site. It served the congregation for about 40 years until a larger structure was built. First United Methodist Church of Duncanville, whose growth has paralleled that of the city, has seen its greatest increase in membership since the close of World War II. After years as a circuit church, the congregation became a full-time station in 1946. Through the years, the church has actively served and met the needs of the community. Many of Duncanville's earliest settlers and town leaders have been members here. With its founding dating to the first days of the city's settlement, the First United Methodist Church of Duncanville is an important element in the area's heritage. #6706
?, Duncanville, TX, United States