Saturday, March 12, 2016

2016-03-11: A Canceled Appointment Means Geocaching Through Cemeteries

So this coming weekend was to be moving day. Candy's term at the facility in Lubbock has ended and she's transferring down to Monahans, Texas. The office for the next apartment complex was closed on weekends so today I was going to drive down and pickup a key to move in on Sunday. Well above halfway down, I received a phone call from them and we would have to wait until Monday. So I made a u-turn back to Lubbock.

But not all was lost. Might as well do some Geocaching on the way back! I stopped by the O'Donnell Cemetery (GC4X8H7) just south of the town of O'Donnell. Couldn't find much information about the cemetery itself, but did see some interesting headstones. The earliest dates back to 1920 and J.C. Paul. There were a lot of babies and small children, many of which were undated like the photo.

Front gate to O'Donnell Cemetery.

Headstone that reads "BILLINGTON INFENT"

Headstone for J.C. Paul who died December 23, 1920 and the first person buried in the O'Donnell Cemetery.

The next Geocache and cemetery was the Hancock Cemetery in Dawson County (GC5HGW3). Again not being able to find the history of the cemetery except the date of 1925 on the overhead entrance gate. There were some interesting headstones in there as well.

The front gate to the Hancock Cemetery in Dawson County.

The headstone for W.B. Foreman who died March 8, 1925 and buried in Hancock Cemetery.

A rather interesting headstone located in the Hancock Cemetery Texas.


In the town of O'Donnell, Texas was another Geocache (GC509PA) next to this abandoned food store. An interesting old building and on the front facade you could still make out the partial name of "O'Donnell Food." Possible a grocery store, but looking inside I saw a lot of cages and written on the inside wall the statement: "NOTICE ALL PROCESSING CHARGES MUST BE PAID WHEN MEAT IS PICKED UP!" Could it have been a butcher or meat processing place? I'm not sure.

A photo of an old abandoned business in O'Donnell Texas.

A photo of an old abandoned business in O'Donnell Texas.

The next stop was at the Plain View Cemetery (GC5MB7G) and my next Geocache. Again I wasn't able to find any history of the cemetery, but there were some headstones dating back to the early 1900's. The one of most interest is that of PaNaTa "Netty" Alford Gregory (April 29, 1937 - August 29, 1912). Daughter of Puchethi and Fernaty Alford, Granddaughter of Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and Manete, great grand-daughter of Chief Pucksinwah and Methoataske.

The front entrance gate for the Plainview Cemetery in Dawson County Texas.

The headstone for PaNaTa "Netty" Alford Gregory buried in the Plain View Cemetery Texas.

My last cache for the day was at the Plains Community Center GCN5VB). Plains, Texas, which is not to be confused with Plains, Texas the Yoakum County seat, is a tiny community located in northwestern Borden County to the northwest of Gail near the small ghost town of Mesquite. It was an old farming community that was once home to a functioning school. That school house is today a community center. Though looking in through the windows, probably hasn't been used in a long time. Still has the old style steel swings and slide in back, definitely not safe by todays' standards!

The Plains Community Center and former schoolhouse.

A photo of the old playground set behind the Plains Community Center.

Across the street was another old abandoned building in deteriorating condition. I didn't see any signs or anything giving away its long ago purpose. Taking a peak into the windows, there were a couple of old appliances, pallets, and wood piles. The ceiling and pieces of the roof had fallen and laying on top of everything so it just looked like a pile of debris inside. But based upon the layout, I'd say this was once a church. But once again, I couldn't find any information on it.

An old abandoned and dilapidated church building in Plains Texas.

Enough Geocaching for today. Time to get back home.

No comments:

Post a Comment