Carlisle Cemetery
Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The pioneer Carlisle community was named for W. Augustus "Uncle Gus" Carlisle (1849-1920), who settled here with his wife Lizzie (Spikes) (d. 1914) in 1890. A cattleman and a prominent landowner, Carlisle made significant contributions to the development of the area, including a donation of land for a school. In 1918 he set aside this part of his property for use as a public cemetery. It was first used for the burial of George W. Wood (b. 1879), a victim of the 1920 influenza epidemic. Other graves include those of pioneer area settlers and early leaders of Carlisle. Improvements by the Carlisle Cemetery Heritage Association included white crosses on graves with no markers. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2023
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Carlisle community took its name from W. Augustus 'Uncle Gus' Carlisle, a cattleman and landowner who settled here with his wife Lizzie in 1890 and donated land for a school. In 1918 he set aside part of his property as a public cemetery, first used two years later for a victim of the 1920 influenza epidemic. Later heritage-association volunteers marked unmarked graves with white crosses.
Why it matters
This pioneer cemetery on the South Plains preserves the memory of a founding family and the sweep of the 1918–1920 influenza pandemic across rural Texas.
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Related people
- · W. Augustus Carlisle
- · Lizzie Spikes Carlisle
- · George W. Wood
Related events
- · 1918–1920 influenza epidemic
Themes & tags
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