The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has recognized Jaeger Witte Cemetery as a significant part of Texas history by awarding it an Official Texas Historical Marker. The designation honors Jaeger Witte Cemetery as an important and educational part of local history.
A dedication ceremony to commemorate the event will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at Jaeger Witte Cemetery, 5800 Jaeger Road, in Burton, Texas. Speakers for the afternoon will include Mike Schlabach of the Washington County Historical Commission and Ciera Harris of the Brenham Heritage Museum, as well as Jan Kelm, a Washington County historian and researcher. Sarah Schwarz of Christ Lutheran and Fr. Stephen Whaley of St. Peters Episcopal will lead us in prayer. The Jaeger Witte Heritage Cemetery Association and the Washington County Historical Commission welcome the public to share in and witness this exciting historical event.
A subject qualifies for a marker if two basic criteria are met: historical significance and age. Historical significance is established by reviewing its role and importance in local history, and the age requirement depends on the topic.
Jaeger Witte Cemetery received designation as a Historical Cemetery in 2019. Receiving this designation required nearly a decade of research and planning by the Jaeger Witte Heritage Cemetery Association. The cemetery was established in the mid-1850s by the Hagedorn family and is the resting place of members of the Hagedorn, von Bieberstein, Witte, and Jaeger families. It is still an active burial place for members of the Jaeger family. The Jaeger Witte Cemetery is maintained by the Jaeger Witte Heritage Cemetery Association and by individual donations. Current officers of the association are Jeff Featherston, Steven Jaeger, George Zemanek, Debbie Byrd, and Kay Kulow.
There are three types of Texas Historical Markers. Subject markers are posted solely for public education awareness and awarded more frequently than the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL), which is a legal designation for historic structures and comes with a measure of protection. Unlike subject markers, the RTHL must also meet a third criterion–architectural integrity. Historic Texas Cemetery (HTC) markers identify cemeteries which have obtained the HTC designation and whose histories have been researched in detail.
Texas has the largest marker program in the United States with approximately 15,000 markers. Seventeen states have used the Texas program as a model; the THC reviews more than 300 marker applications each year.
The Texas Historical Commission is the state agency for historic preservation. The agency administers a variety of programs to preserve the archeological, historical and cultural resources of Texas. The THC’s Official Texas Marker Policies are outlined in the Official Texas Historical Marker Procedures, which may be obtained by contacting the History Programs Division, Texas Historical Commission, at (512) 463-5853 or visiting the website at www. thc.texas.gov.
