White Rock Garden Of Memories
a.k.a. Scott Family Cemetery, White Rock Colored Union Cemetery
Dallas Genealogical Society volunteers surveyed this cemetery in 1981 and published it in Dallas County Texas Genealogical Data from Early Cemeteries, Vol. 1 (1982). W. R. Conger and his student surveyed the Scott Family Cemetery portion. These notes are in Dallas History and Archives of Dallas Public Library. A. C. Morgan made a partial survey in 1998 and George Keaton, Jr. completed that survey. The current survey updates these earlier surveys and includes additional information from available Texas death certificates.
The original Scott Family Cemetery was established around 1852 with land donated by Samuel M. Scott. An additional acre was added in 1898 when it took on the name White Rock Colored Union Cemetery. It was renamed White Rock Garden of Memories Cemetery in 1978. The combined cemetery is comprised of two fenced acres in the middle of Oak Run Apartments.
- Latitude: 325641N
- Longitude: 0964825W
- Mapsco Location: 15E, F
- Address: Preston Oaks Road @ Cedar Canyon, Dallas, TX 75240 (inside Oak Run Apartments complex which is accessed-controlled.)
The oldest marker is reported to be that of Margaret, daughter of William Cooper McKamy and Rachel Wester, who was born in 1851 and died in 1852.
An interesting article about the cemetery and its trustees battle to maintain control of it was written by David Olsen in 1980. See David Olson, “On Hallowed Ground,” D Magazine, February 1980.pages 74-81, 126-128. URL https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1980/february/on-hallowed-ground/
The death certificates for more than 40 individuals note that they were buried in Alpha Cemetery. There is still confusion about the location of Alpha cemetery. Some believe that these individuals are buried at White Rock. Others believe that Alpha cemetery is in a different location.
