Concrete Cemetery, Guadalupe County, Texas 2 March 2009
"The community was originally called Bethesda but was later called Concrete because of the old rock church built in 1852 that once stood on the site and was also used as a school and meeting hall for the Bethesda Masonic lodge" -- Wiki. Now you know as much as I do. For over 20 years now, I have been making images of cemetery gates where the names are prominately displayed -- as in the above image. I'm only interested in those with unusual and ironic names. I probably have a few hundred images of such by now. My interest is rooted in cultural idenity. In times past, it seems people living on the edge of civilization, those folks who moved to settle the mid-west and soutwest, were inclinded to title places according to their run in life. I really doubt anyone donating land this day and age would name a cemetery something like "concrete." You are more like to find "green" something-or-other, or something-Memorial-something. Certainly not names like Peculiar, Good Exchange, Buzzard, etc. Here are a few more cemetery gate images. Bethesda would seem a nice enough name for a settlement, but why exchange it for Concrete just because of an old stone/rock church? I don't think the quote says: "On this concrete, I will build my church."
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