Long Creek, Sunnyvale, Texas facts for kids
Long Creek was a small town in Dallas County, Texas, United States. In 1953, it joined with three other nearby towns: Hattersville, Tripp, and New Hope. Together, they formed the town of Sunnyvale, Texas. Today, the area where Long Creek used to be is in the southern part of Sunnyvale.
A Look Back: Long Creek's History
Long Creek was the oldest of the four towns that created Sunnyvale. The first people to settle in the Long Creek area arrived around 1845. These were the family of Captain Alexander W. and Lucinda Crownover Webb. Their relatives, the Benjamin and Nancy Robins Crownover family, also settled there. At that time, Texas was still a republic, not yet part of the United States. Soon after, John Peter Lawrence and the family of James Madison and Mary Mann Bennett joined them.
A church called the Bethany Missionary Baptist Church started in Long Creek on March 18, 1849. It is believed to be the first church east of the White Rock Community. Church meetings were first held in people's homes. Alexander W. Webb gave land for a church building. However, the community needed a school more. So, a two-story schoolhouse was built instead of a church. The church continued to meet in homes until it stopped in 1871. The school later joined with and moved to schools in nearby Tripp. A group called the Woodman of the World Lodge also used the second floor of the schoolhouse for their meetings for many years.
Today, Long Creek Road still exists in the southern part of Sunnyvale. It connects State Highway 352 with US Highway 80. The road also passes by the Long Creek Cemetery. The Sunnyvale area sheriff's office is located on Long Creek Road.
Long Creek Cemetery: A Historic Resting Place
The Long Creek Cemetery was recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery in 2005. This means it is an important historical site in Texas.
The first known burial happened on October 2, 1855. Leona Crownover Caldwell, the wife of Solomon W. Caldwell, was buried under a pecan tree. This field belonged to her father, Benjamin Crownover. For 149 years, her grave was only marked by old bois d'arc tree stumps. On October 2, 2004, the Long Creek Cemetery Association placed a stone marker in her memory. This association was started in 1910.
There are eight marked graves from between 1885 and 1879. However, some graves are only marked by tree stumps. Others might not be marked at all. On July 2, 1879, Alexander W. Webb and William S. Caldwell gave 2 acres (about 8,000 square meters) of land to the people of Long Creek. This land was to be used as a public cemetery. More land was later given by the Crownover, Blevins, Reedy, and Paschall families.
Many people who served in different wars are buried here. These include soldiers from the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, and the Republic of Texas. People who fought on both sides of the Civil War also rest here. Later, soldiers from World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Iraq were buried. Others who served during times of peace are also in the cemetery. Some of the oldest burials are James Truss and Priscilla Dulaney Truss, both born in 1799.
