Glenwood Cemetery

02/22/2026

On National Wildlife Day, we celebrate the landscapes, habitats, and quiet moments that make Glenwood so unique. We’re grateful to steward a space where nature continues to thrive. 💚

02/19/2026

A most beautiful City of the Dead

In 1883, Houston's Glenwood Cemetery was still a young landscape, but it was already earning extraordinary praise. The Houston Post wrote that no city in the South or Southwest could boast a cemetery so beautiful.

Planned, improved, and carefully maintained, Glenwood was compared to the nation's great rural cemeteries and celebrated for its stately trees, flowering grounds, and picturesque setting. This article marked the first time Glenwood was described as "a most beautiful City of the Dead," a phrase that captured its emerging identity as both a place of burial and a cultural landscape.

02/17/2026

Upcoming Tour🌿

This two-hour, docent-guided walking tour led by focuses on the lives and legacies of some of Glenwood’s most notable women, whose influence stretches from the suffrage movement to the silver screen.

Featured figures include Charlotte Allen, wife of Houston co-founder Augustus Allen; suffragists Annette Finnigan and Florence Sterling; publisher and stateswoman Oveta Culp Hobby, who led the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during World War II; and movie star Gene Tierney.

Together, their stories offer a powerful lens on how women helped shape Houston’s civic, cultural, and political life.

📅 Saturday, February 28th | 10 AM - 12 PM
📍 Glenwood Cemetery
🔗 Register: https://www.preservationhouston.org

02/16/2026

02/15/2026

🌿✨🌷🦆🤍

02/14/2026

This Valentine's Day, we honor the remarkable love story of Walter Benona Sharp (1870–1912) and Estelle Boughton Sharp (1873–1965) at Glenwood Cemetery. Their family plot, designed by landscape architect Ruth London, features elegant marble Doric columns and embodies the charm of the Country Place Era in American landscape design.

At the center, the bronze sculpture "Roses of Yesterday" by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth captures a woman holding roses beside a sundial inscribed with "Perennis Amor," meaning "Love is forever."

Walter was a pioneering Texas oilman who co-founded the Sharp-Hughes Tool Company and invented the revolutionary rock bit. Although he passed away at just 42, Estelle carried on his legacy as a civic leader and social reformer. She co-founded United Charities of Houston, advocated for women's suffrage, and supported , where she endowed its first lectureship in civics and philanthropy.

Together, the Sharps exemplify how love inspires innovation, generosity, and a commitment to a better future.

❤️ Perennis Amor ❤️



Citation:

“Sharp, Estelle Boughton (1873-1965),” Jane Addams Digital Edition, accessed December 23, 2025, digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/3743.

02/11/2026

Carpenter bees may look intimidating, but they’re gentle pollinators and this one is clearly a fan of snapdragons. 🐝

02/09/2026

A poignant symbol of love within funerary art is found in the language of flowers, beautifully illustrated by the treestone honoring Alabama-born Alexander Sessums (1830–1873) and his wife, Mary Runnels (1835–1884). This intricately decorated oak tree trunk, adorned with natural bark, ivy, oak leaves, morning glories, lilies, and ferns, beautifully represents their enduring bond.

In floral symbolism, morning glories signify resurrection, while evergreen ivy represents immortality and fidelity. The ivy's embrace around the trunk reflects their undying love.

Garlands of roses honor Mary, while oak leaves and acorns celebrate Alexander. New branches symbolize their son, David, representing the continuation of their family legacy. Each marker is carved like a small log, with Mary's inscribed with the words, "Take up the cross early and follow me." This serene resting place stands as a lasting testament to their love and enduring bonds.

02/06/2026

✨ Honor a Loved One & Support Glenwood Cemetery ✨

Leave a lasting tribute with a personalized engraved brick, beautifully placed near the Center for Glenwood entrance.

When the original front entrance columns were dismantled, the historic bricks (circa 1897) were carefully salvaged offering a rare chance to be part of Glenwood’s rich history.

🕊️ Visit our website or check the Link in Bio to order your brick, or call our office to learn how you can join Glenwood’s 155-year legacy.

02/02/2026

On National Texas Day, we honor those buried at Glenwood Cemetery who shaped the Republic of Texas. The Citizens of the Republic of Texas organization recognizes these individuals with medallions marking their contributions. These medallions commemorate the Republic's Citizens, Defenders, and Veterans, reminding us that Texas's story continues through its builders.

⭐ Citizens of the Republic of Texas Medallions
These medallions honor early settlers and civic leaders who laid the foundations of the Republic, including pioneering families like the Allens, Mastersons, McGowens, Taylors, and Briscoes, whose legacies are part of Texas history.

⭐ Defenders of the Republic of Texas Medallions
These medallions are given to those who supported the Republic during its struggle for independence and its early years, including Paul Bremond, William Fairfax Gray, and Thomas Saltus Lubbock Sr.

⭐ Veterans of the Republic of Texas Medallions
These medallions honor those who served in the Republic's military forces, including Dr. Anson Jones, the last president of the Republic of Texas, and other distinguished veterans buried at Glenwood.

These markers honor our history, connecting us to the remarkable individuals who shaped Texas. As you walk the grounds, please take a moment to reflect on their stories and how they inspired the Texas we know today.

01/31/2026

January at Glenwood ❄️🤍

01/29/2026

This month, we had the pleasure of showcasing the stunning Art Deco monument "Dawn" by Herring Coe. Continuing in this artistic vein, we're excited to introduce you to "Houston Deco: Modernistic Architecture of the Texas Coast," authored by David Bush, alongside our friend at .

While cities like Miami, New York, and Los Angeles often steal the spotlight in the Art Deco conversation, Houston holds its own with a treasure trove of stunning examples of this captivating early twentieth-century style, many of which are at risk of disappearing. In the 1920s, as Houston emerged as a bustling American metropolis, local leaders sought to cultivate a vibrant community identity reflective of that era.

This beautifully crafted book is a visual feast, featuring over 100 captivating color photographs that highlight the exquisite details of Houston's remaining Art Deco and Art Moderne buildings. It serves not just as a guide, but as a heartfelt call to action for conservation, restoration, and preservation.

Curious to dive deeper into our library? Complete our archive request form to schedule an appointment. Just follow the link in our linktree!