Austin Memorial Park (AMP) was established in 1927 as a private cemetery and was purchased by the City of Austin in 1941, making it into a public cemetery. In 2008 AMP was designated as a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission. AMP is the final resting place for many notable Texans. A partial list is set forth in the City of Austin Historic Cemeteries Master Plan. These include: Dr. Harry Hunt Ransom (1908–1976); Dr. Zachary Thomson Scott (1880–1964) and his son, Zachary Thomson Scott, Jr. (1914–1965); Pulitzer Prize winning author James A. Michener (1907–1997) and his wife, Mari Yoriko Sabusawa Michener (1920–1994); Texas Ranger Francis Augustus “Frank” Hamer (1884–1955), who captured and killed Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow; and football coach Mike Campbell (1922–1978). In other words, AMP is an important part of Austin's and the state's history. However, instead of seeking to preserve this vital link to the past, PARD has been ripping out historical artifacts throughout AMP, as well as other Austin cemeteries, with apparently no care or concern that it is not only dishonoring those resting there, but destroying tangible links to Austin's past. On January 21, 2022, I took these photographs of multiple grave ornaments and decorations that PARD has removed from gravesites and stacked behind a huge pile of rock and waste. Because the public is barred from this work area, I could not inspect the items up close, but was able to take these pictures using a telephoto lens.
The items are stored among scattered trash, waste material, and heavy equipment. I could see with no apparent labels or other signage regarding which gravesites these artifacts came from. There were a number of large concrete or cast urns and statuary with the definite patina of age. These items are an integral part of the history of Austin and AMP and never should have been removed. Imagine a maintenance crew in charge of a historic mansion arbitrarily snatching up antique furnishings and piling them up in the back yard because they "interfered" with sweeping and vacuuming. This is essentially what PARD is doing when it removes these grave ornaments simply so it can run its heavy equipment through the cemetery grounds unimpeded.
These grave decorations were selected and installed by families and friends to honor their loved ones. Ripping these ornaments away from the graves not only destroys a historical record, it is a disgraceful discourtesy to the families who lovingly selected and installed them and a dishonor to the dead.
Further, these items were not only costly when first purchased, as someone who is familiar with the antiques market, I know that these large elaborate sculptures, urns, and planters can sell for many hundreds of dollars on the secondary market, as they are popular garden ornaments. The gate was wide open when I took these pictures and I saw no PARD employees the entire time I stood there. The ornaments are not secured and the surrounding wood plank fence is decaying and falling apart in places. Someone with a truck and a few strong friends could load up the choicest of these historic artifacts and easily clear a several thousand dollars at one of the regional antiques fairs.
There were a number of cast benches of high quality with beautiful detailing. Again these benches can cost, and sell for, many hundreds of dollars.
The following pictures were taken through one of the many holes in the surrounding fence. In addition to grave ornaments, there was a large number of headstones and memorials, some of which appeared to have been broken or damaged.
To try to gather more information regarding this cache of displaced or dismantled grave ornamentation, on January 22, 2023, I submitted the following Public Information Request to PARD (reference number C166480-012223).
Records Requested: Any and all documentation, including, but not limited to, memos, letters, notes, notices, or photographs regarding the removal of any item of grave decoration or ornamentation (item) at Austin Memorial Park, excluding cut or artificial flowers or temporary holiday decorations, and any and all information regarding: the date an item was removed, the specific location the item was removed from; the person or persons who authorized the removal; whether there was any consideration or assessment of the historic or other value of the item; the reason or reasons for the removal; any notice or notices provided to the plot owner or stakeholder regarding the removal; whether the item was stored and, if so, where and for how long; and the final disposition of the item, including whether the item is still being stored, has been reclaimed by the plot owner or stake holder, has been destroyed, and if so, the method of destruction, has been discarded and, if so, the method by which it was discarded; was sold, was removed by an employee or other person for personal use, or the final disposition is unknown.
The dates covered by the request are September 1, 2013, through January 20, 2023.
UPDATE: On February 6, 2023, I received the following from the City of Austin regarding my information request:
Even though I received an email from the City on February 6, 2023, stating that they "anticipate completing your request on or before 03/10/2023," now, a single day before that date, I am informed that, in order for the City of Austin to BEGIN processing my request, I need to provide additional clarification. I am required now to narrow the date range and be more specific regarding what I am looking for or requesting, because the request "as is would be a substantial cost involved." I submitted the request originally on January 22, 2023, but now, well over a month later, I am being told that I need to substantially revise and resubmit my request. On March 10, 2023, I sent the following response:
Is there a way I can meet with someone face to face and explain the situation? Currently the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), without any authorization, is engaged in the wholesale removal of monuments and grave ornamentation throughout the Austin cemeteries: https://saveaustinscemeteries.blogspot.com/p/tomb-raiders.html There appears to be no consideration given to the families, the historical significance of the cemeteries, or the fact that some of these items may have significant monetary value. I am just trying to get some documentation on the extend of this desecration and looting of gravesites, as well as what is happening to items that have been removed. I am willing to narrow the date range, but since the removal of grave ornamentation by PARD has been an opaque process without any apparent guidelines, I have no way of knowing what documents are available or which documents I need to request. Please have someone contact me so that I can proceed with this request.
The inner workings of PARD is a black box, and no doubt PARD wants to keep it that way (despite the fact that PARD is a government agency and subject to state and local laws regarding transparency and open government). If I knew the process for removing, storing, and disposing of grave ornamentation, I would know what documentation to request. But I suspect that there is no actual process and therefore I have no idea what documentation, if any, is available. I cannot narrow my documentation request if I do not know what documentation actually exists. Apparently, for the City of Austin, the works of Franz Kafka and Joseph Heller are considered instruction manuals, not literature.
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