Washington Cemetery

The Deutsche Gesellschaft von Houston, founded in 1875, established the German Society Cemetery here in 1887, offering family lots and single spaces to the public. By the time it was renamed Washington Cemetery in 1918, immigrants from at least 17 countries had been laid to rest here, with gravestones in English, German, Spanish, and Polish. It remains an active cemetery, with over 7,500 burials in its 13.5 acres.

From 1977 to 1999 the cemetery was restored, operated, and maintained by volunteers of Concerned Citizens for Washington Cemetery Care, Inc. (CCWCC). Washington Cemetery Historic Trust (WCHT) was founded in 1992 to support these efforts. In 1997, a district court granted CCWCC the authority to "restore, operate, and maintain a historic cemetery." This right and responsibility was transferred to Glenwood Cemetery Inc. in 1999 by merging CCWCC into Glenwood Cemetery Inc.

Today Washington Cemetery is operated and maintained by Glenwood Cemetery Inc., while WCHT continues to assist with historical research, burial database refinements, monument restoration, and other site improvements. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, WCHT depends on donations and volunteers to carry out these activities.