Concordia Cemetery, El Paso

Concordia Cemetery reflects El Paso’s layered past. Established in the 1840s on land owned by Chihuahua trader Hugh and Juana Stephenson, it became a main burial ground as the city grew in the late 19th century. Estimates range from about 60,000 to 66,000 graves across its 52 acres, marking generations shaped by migration, trade, military service, and frontier life.

The cemetery developed distinct sections for Catholics, Masons, Jews, African Americans, Chinese residents, and military groups. It remains the only cemetery in Texas with a dedicated Chinese burial ground, acknowledging the presence of Chinese workers and merchants in the region. Among those buried here is the gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, along with Buffalo Soldiers and Civil War veterans. Separate areas for Freemasons, Mormons, and Jewish families further illustrate the city’s diverse communities.

A section often referred to as the “infant nursery” contains many unmarked graves linked to the 1918 influenza pandemic, marking a difficult chapter in local history. In 2005, the site was officially designated a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission, formalizing its status as a protected heritage site.