Center for Glenwood Archival Collection
Mission Statement
Reflective of Glenwood Cemetery’s long history of serving the public are voluminous archival records and original source holdings that document its residents and operations for over 150 years. These records contain the day-to-day business of the Cemetery and serve to memorialize the people interred there, revealing a vast store of genealogical and historical information.
Our mission for the Glenwood Cemetery Archive is to acquire, preserve, and maintain these unique and original records. These documents are primary sources of information and cannot be found in any other repository around the world.
Vision and Values
Glenwood Cemetery archives serve as the institutional memory of the unique lives that have impacted Houston’s history.
We value our collections power to motivate learning, preserve history, connect lives, and inspire wonder. We are dedicated to the long-term stewardship of the resources entrusted to our care.
The Collections connect people with historical artifacts of physical and digital materials in support of a wide range of teaching, research, and learning.
Research our Records
Browse Visual Archives
1904 Boundary Map of Glenwood Cemetery
Archive
This large-format linen boundary map, created by the Houston engineering firm Whitty & Taylor in March 1904, illustrates Glenwood Cemetery and its surrounding landscape. The map outlines Glenwood's official property lines, adjacent roads, and nearby burial grounds, including the Catholic Division and the German Lutheran Cemetery, as well as areas designated as "Forest Mound," "Hillside," and "New Strangers Rest." The detailed inkwork captures topographical features, including Buffalo Bayou, roadways, and elevation contours, providing a view of the cemetery's natural landscape and constructed divisions during the early 20th century. Handwritten annotations indicate section letters and landmarks that correspond with Glenwood's earliest lot maps.
As both a technical and cultural artifact, the map documents how Houston’s landscape engineers, trustees, and cemetery managers understood and shaped the city’s relationship to its burial grounds.
Glenwood Cemetery Walking and Archive Tour Highlights
topographic surveys
plats (maps)
Maps
Map
Boundary
Glenwood Cemetery
Whitty
Taylor
Whitty & Taylor
1904
2.58 Linear Feet
The use of or access to certain materials may be restricted for legal reasons or due to donor stipulations. Written permission to publish or display reproductions of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. archive materials must be secured from the Foundation prior to use of the material. The following credit must be printed under each reproduction: “Reprinted with the permission of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. & Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation”. Clearance of any copyrighted material is the responsibility of the person wishing to publish or display said material.
English
1904 Map of Glenwood Cemetery
This large-format linen boundary map, created by the Houston engineering firm Whitty & Taylor in March 1904, illustrates Glenwood Cemetery and its surrounding landscape. The map outlines Glenwood's official property lines, adjacent roads, and nearby burial grounds, including the Catholic Division and the German Lutheran Cemetery, as well as areas designated as "Forest Mound," "Hillside," and "New Strangers Rest." The detailed inkwork captures topographical features, including Buffalo Bayou, roadways, and elevation contours, providing a view of the cemetery's natural landscape and constructed divisions during the early 20th century. Handwritten annotations indicate section letters and landmarks that correspond with Glenwood's earliest lot maps.
Whitty & Taylor
1904
Map
31 in
28 in
Map Table
Permanent
Exhibition
Dilapitated
Crackle / Craquelure
Missing Areas / Holes
Buckling
Crocking
Discoloration
Frayed / Fraying
Structural Integrity
Oct 3, 2025
The item is in a deteriorated condition, featuring fragile paper, noticeable tears, and fading ink.
Paper
The use of or access to certain materials may be restricted for legal reasons or due to donor stipulations. Written permission to publish or display reproductions of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. archive materials must be secured from the Foundation prior to use of the material. The following credit must be printed under each reproduction: “Reprinted with the permission of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. & Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation”. Clearance of any copyrighted material is the responsibility of the person wishing to publish or display said material.
The use of or access to certain materials may be restricted for legal reasons or due to donor stipulations. Written permission to publish or display reproductions of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. archive materials must be secured from the Foundation prior to use of the material. The following credit must be printed under each reproduction: “Reprinted with the permission of Glenwood Cemetery, Inc. & Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation”. Clearance of any copyrighted material is the responsibility of the person wishing to publish or display said material.
Restricted Collections
The following collections are restricted and require approval for viewing, please get in touch to learn more about viewing items in these collections.
Collection 2 Meetings and Administrative Files
Collection 14 Digital Materials
Most of this material is cross referenced from other collection. Ex: Veteran dedication photographs are put on a CD, or internment lot records that were copied onto film.
Collection 18 Fundraising Campaigns/ Donor Information
Collection 19 Financial Information (Completely Restricted)
Educator's Resources
Schedule a Field Trip / Visit
To schedule a field trip or visit, please contact Glenwood Cemetery. Our tours can accommodate up to 80 students at a time
Visit Us
Archive viewing and research is available by appointment only.
2525 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77007
(713) 864-7886
How to Donate to the Materials Archive
The Glenwood Cemetery Archive welcomes gifts of archival materials that fall within the scope of itscollecting activities, that will enhance the strength of our collections, and that support the historicalintegrity of Glenwood’s history
Reproduction Policy
The Archival collection is available for study and research; however, to preserve original documents and photographs and to maintain the integrity of the collection, none of the materials are allowed to leave the archives or to be reproduced without authorization.
