|
|
|
|
|
Farmers Branch, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
NEWS
Annual Meeting Webb2002 Reunion HERITAGE Isaac B. Webb The Oldest Church Webb Chapel Cemetery A New Look Memorials Membership Annual Contributions GENEALOGY DESCENDANT DATABASE HOW TO CONTACT US HOME |
Thanks to the City of Farmers Branch and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), the cemetery has a beautiful new look. The cemetery has new driveway and walkway entrances, front retaining wall and wrought iron fence, constructed by the City of Farmers Branch. When the original retaining wall was built many years ago, it was well back from Webb Chapel Road, then a two-lane country road. After the road became a six-lane thoroughfare, however, the wall was almost at the curb and pedestrians had to walk into the street. To enable the City to improve pedestrian safety, the Cemetery Association donated an easement for the new sidewalk, associated retaining wall, and wrought iron fence. |
The City utilized funds available in the DART Local Assistance Program. This DART program sets aside a portion of the sales tax that goes to DART for member cities to use to make improvements consistent with transit. In the situation of the sidewalks along Webb Chapel Road, the sidewalks provide pedestrian access to the bus routes along the road. The City contracted for the design and construction, and the City inspected the improvements as they were constructed.
The original plan called for in-kind replacement of the old chain-link fence atop the retaining wall. Discussions with the city led to an agreement to install a wrought iron fence atop a millsap stone retaining wall, and a driveway with wrought iron gates. Under the agreement, the Cemetery Association paid $5,000 towards the total cost of the $32,290 for the sidewalk, fence, wall, driveway, and gates.
2003-2004 Tree Removal and Fence Project
In late 2003 the Master Plan Committee of the Webb Chapel Cemetery Association board presented a proposal to the board which was duly approved. This proposal called for the removal of many Hackberry trees along the north, west, and south perimeter of the cemetery and the pruning of the major trees inside the cemetery. As the work began, an additional proposal was made and approved to remove the chain-link fence on the north side of the cemetery since many of the Hackberry trees were grown into this fence. Hackberry trees, while numerous in this area, are not a good quality tree. In the long run, the removal of these trees may save the association money since it has often had to pay someone to remove large branches that have fallen into the cemetery. In one instance, a fallen tree damaged a neighbor's fence. We have been lucky that so far, none of these branches have damaged any tombstones in the cemetery.
The WCCA accepted the bid of Tree Artistry and this renovation project was completed before the end of the year. The board is very pleased with the work that was done. The next stage of the project was to replace the fence on the north side with a fence similar in style to the black wrought-iron fence on the east side of the cemetery along Webb Chapel road. This work was started and completed in early 2004. The Master Plan Committee continued to meet regularly in 2004. As the renovation project progressed, the decision was made to go ahead and remove the chain link fence on the west and south sides of the cemetery and replace them with the same type of fence that was put on the north side.
We encourage association members to drop by and take a look. There is now a beautiful vista across the creek on the north side that was previously blocked by all the overgrown trees and brush.
As the Master Plan Committee continues to meet, recommendations will be made for long-term projects to improve and beautify the cemetery. The final recommendations will be communicated to the association members and there may be opportunities to contribute financially to the accomplishment of these projects.
If you would like to discuss
the Webb Chapel Cemetery Association
or the people interred at Webb Chapel Cemetery and their descendants,
please E-Mail Jan Jones at:
jjbead@prodigy.net