Necropolis Creep Projects Page. Galleries of Cemeteries photographed by Warren Paul Harris

Concordia Cemetery - El Paso, Texas

In May of 2011, I was on a business trip to El Paso when an acquaintance asked if I had seen this cemetery on my way into town. I had not seen it, and he proceeded to tell me how John Wesley Hardin was interred there and how the entire Cemetery looked run-down and forgotten - like the desert was trying, successfully, to reclaim the land - except for the Jewish section, which was lush and green and beautifully maintained. I simply had to see this for myself. After finishing up for the day, I took some time off to rest, waiting for the sun to be low in the sky to achieve the effect I knew I wanted - and headed out in search of this jewel of the Southwest. My first impression was of the sheer scale of the site. It is immense - and segregated by denominations / cultural boundaries. Something I had never seen before. I immediately located the map for Concordia and made a beeline for John Wesley Hardin's resting place. From there, I explored the grounds at random, taking advantage of the light as long as possible. I was looking for the Jewish Section I had been told about and simply had no idea where it was until I realized the trees and bushes peeking up behind an enormous wall far in the distance had to be my destination. I made my way across the Cemetery and finally came to the wall. Most of this massive boundary is well above my head, so I made my way toward the entrance, where the wall is lower, and was astounded at the stark contrast between this section any other section of this historic site. The Jewish Section looks like the Garden of Eden dropped into the heart of a desert.

Established 1840 at Concordia Ranch by trader Hugh Stephenson on the Ascarate Land Grand and his wife, Juana Ascarate Stephenson. The Church of San Juan de Concordia el Alto was built in 1850. and is recognized as the first church in El Paso. Mrs. Stephenson was the first burial in the Cemetery (1857) and an inscription is located in the French Section.

Map of Concordia Cemetery

Concordia Cemetery's fifty-tow acres are final resting places for over 60,000 residents of El Paso. The Cemetery is considered a premier Outdoor Museum of Monuments due to the wide variety of headstones and markers. The Cemetery was designated a Texas State Historical Cemetery in 2006, the first in El Paso County.

Some of the fascniating residents of Concordia Cemetery:

John Wesley Hardin
Buffalo Soldiers
Mexican Revolutionary Figures
Chinese Section
Jewish Section
Catholic Section
Mormon Section
Masonic Section
Masonic Veterans Monument
Jesuit Priests Section
Grand Army Republic Veterans
Oddfellows Section
Infant Nursery (victims of the Influenza epidemic (1917-18)

John Wesley Hardin's Grave

John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 - August 19, 1895) Born in Bonham, Texas, John Wesley Hardin was named for the founder of Methodism. "Wes" Hardin grew into a family man, cowboy and outlaw who claimed to have killed more than 30 men. An unusual sort of gunslinger, Hardin considered himself a pillar of society who killed to save his own life. Hardin served 15 years in state prison for murder, was pardoned, then opened a law office in El Paso in May 1895. He was killed 3 months later by John Selman, and El Paso city Constable.

Masonic Plaque

The good and the bad

A breakdown of the occupants of Concordia Complete with the annnotation that the last murder took place where the sign stands, using the rocks below as the weapon

Iron cross leaning against a stone

Gerardo Lujan white iron cross

Baby cradle monument - Cynthia Jimenez

Bare, wooden crosses

Stuffed animals adorn this grave

Faux flowers on a white cross

Vivid red crosses

Broken monument

Twised wire cross

Faux flowers and a wooden cross

The Jewish section is gorgeous

Morrison monument

Caples monument

Yucca spike reaches to the heavens

Wood and iron crosses

Wulfrano Ugales monument + green fence

Wrought iron fence and blue flower cross

White iron fenced grave

Wooden crosses in the sunset

Grackle on a tombstone

Grackle

Ring of stones

Antonio Cana Chacon wooden cross

Iron pipe cross

Cactus in the sunset

Clarette M. Kendall circle of stones

Pile of Stone

Damaged monument

Wooden cross and Yucca plant

Twisted metal cross

Pointing finger monument with stones

Wrought Iron fenced grave

Pink cross with rebar T V initials

Wrought Iron fenced grave

Painted pink monument

Another striking feature of Concordia is the use of vibrant blues and pinks on headstones and monuments. It appears to be painted onto a conventional tombstone for effect and can be found in abundance here.