Sponsored Topics

Tilden is an unincorporated community in and the county seat of McMullen County, Texas, United States.
Tilden lies at the intersection of State Highways 16 and 72 in the north central part of the county. It is located roughly an hour south of San Antonio.
Located in Tilden is a Boot Hill cemetery. Boot Hill Cemetery, one of the only two authentic cemeteries of its kind in the southwest, was named Boothill because so many of those who were interred there died violently, "with their boots on." Many of the early graves were those of people killed in accidents, murdered, died of cholera during the cholera epidemic in 1869, but some were known to have died of natural causes. The cemetery was established sometime after then known Frio Rio came into existence in 1858. The cemetery is located behind the bank 1/2 a block north of the courthouse plaza on highway 72 and 1/2 block east of State Highway 16 (right across from the new Sheriff's office). In 1877 Boot Hill Cemetery was abandoned in favor of the present Hill Top Cemetery. Boot Hill Cemetery was neglected for more than half a century. During this time the old timers died, the markers deteriorated, fell down, became lost and more and more of the Boothill lore and history went with them. In 1955 when the Cenizo Garden Club was organized they began at once to clean up and restore the cemetery. They cleaned the plots, cleared out the brush, and located as many graves as possible. The grounds were enclosed by a low border of native stone and the Boothill Cemetery Sign with a large boot made of masonry mounted on a huge slab of a petrified palm stump was added to the cemetery grounds. They were also instrumental in obtaining a Historical Marker, which stands at the entrance of the cemetery.