Please enter through the front entrance on Washington Ave.

Celebrating

150 YEARS

1871 — 2021

Celebrating

150 YEARS

1871 — 2021

Memorializing Houston Lives & Legacies

These individuals represent just a few of those who are buried at Glenwood and have changed the landscape of Houston.

Physician who served as the last President of the Republic of Texas, and later became known as the “Architect of Annexation” for his role in annexing Texas into the Union.

Most notably during his administration, he insisted that the Republic set up a university system for higher education.

Established the first Masonic lodge in Texas, Holland Lodge #36 and helped found the Medical Association of Texas in 1853.

Regarded in Texas History as “The Mother of Houston”. She used her inheritance, along with her husband, Augustus C. Allen and his brother John Kirby Allen, to purchase half a league of land along Buffalo Bayou for $5,000 in 1836, advertised
as “Houston”.

She is a founding member of many of Houston’s key civic and cultural institutions, and donated the city block known as Market Square where City Hall still stands.

Joined his father at Baker, Botts, and Baker where he was the personal attorney of William M. Rice.

After Rice’s murder in 1900, he brought to justice those responsible and saved the Rice fortune that endowed the Rice Institute, now Rice University.

Captain James A. Baker Instrumental in creating Glenwood as a nonprofit institution.

Herman co-founded Brown and Root in 1919 with his brother-in-law Dan Root, joined by George in 1922.

Brown and Root was the builder of many large-scale facilities including the Marshall Ford Dam, now Mansfield Dam.

During WWII, at the request of the Navy, they founded the Brown Shipbuilding Company, producing over 350 warships by the end of the war.

Founded the Brown Foundation along with their wives, Margarett Root Brown and Alice Pratt Brown in 1951, which has distributed more than $1.85 billion in grants
across the state of Texas and elsewhere in the country.

Known as a business magnate, aviator, film director and producer, investor, philanthropist and one of the world’s richest people at the time of his death.

Formed Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932 and established the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 1953.

Acquired Trans World Airlines (TWA) in 1956.

Best-remembered films, Hell’s Angels (1930), The Outlaw (1941), and Scarface (1932).

Founded Roy M. Huffington Inc., an independent, international oil and gas exploration company in 1956 and served as Chairman of the Board and CEO.

Appointed U.S. Ambassador to Austria by President George H.W. Bush in 1990.

Inducted into Texas Business Hall of Fame in 1992.

Performed the first successful human heart transplant in the US in 1968 and the first human implantation of a total artificial heart in the world in 1969.

Founded the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in 1962, where he served as surgeon-in-chief for over 40 years.

Received the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.

Bob McNair was a businessman, sportsman and philanthropist in Houston for more than 50 years.

Founded a family trust that owns McNair Interests – a real estate and investment company, the Houston Texans and The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation.

Returned NFL football to Houston in 2002 and served as Houston Texans founder, senior chairman and CEO.

Co-funded multiple charitable foundations with his wife and gave more than a half billion dollars to community organizations.

In the Beginning

Newspaper accounts of the late 1800s cited the growing popularity of the cemetery as a tourist destination, referring to it as a “resort” and “one of the most beautiful spots in Texas” and credited Glenwood as having thousands of visitors on All Saints and All Souls feast days.

In the Beginning
1871

Houston Cemetery Company was formed by an act of the Texas legislature.

1871
1872

The cemetery opened as Texas’ first rural garden cemetery and the “Glenwood” name was adopted.

The first burial was Eddie Masterson in June of 1872.

1872
1888

The Victorian style Office Cottage was completed.

1888
1904

Glenwood Cemetery Association, a non-profit body, was formed to take over the management of Glenwood.

1904
1950s

Former southern boundary of Glenwood, Memorial Drive was constructed, which changed the boundaries of Glenwood. Buffalo Bayou was re-routed, increasing the size of Glenwood from 55 to 65 acres.

1950s
The Growth of Glenwood
From the 1950s to today Glenwood has grown from 55 to 88 acres, with development adding a substantial number of burial spaces and the ability to extend the life of Glenwood by over 60 years through future revenue from lot sales.
The Growth of Glenwood
1989-1990

The Belvedere area of Glenwood was developed out of a large gully, bringing in 4 1/2 acres of additional burial space.

1989-1990
1999

The Glenwood Cemetery Historic Preservation Foundation was formed and Glenwood merged with adjacent 22 acre Washington Cemetery, which included 7 1/2 acres of undeveloped land.

1999
2007-2010

Glenwood developed 6 acres of property; Oakdale West, Oakdale North, Oakdale Ridge and the Stream Garden, which includes an above ground cremation “niche” area.

2007-2010
The Future of Glenwood
As we envision the next 150 years, we hope to not only provide for the needs of the cemetery and its families but allow current and future Houstonians to better experience this museum of beauty, preserved in the heart of the city and to gain a greater understanding of the history of Houston and beyond through the lives and legacies memorialized here.
The Future of Glenwood
2015

The 10-acre Skyline Meadow section was developed, overlooking a 1 1/2 acre lake, which serves as both a water feature and the cemetery’s primary water source for irrigation.

2015
2017

A Building Committee, led by Lora Jean Kilroy Wilson, created the comprehensive vision for the future of Glenwood, and the Campaign for The Center for Glenwood was launched.

2017
2020

Aerial photo shows Glenwood’s new state of the art Maintenance Facility. Development included a connecting road between Glenwood and Washington Cemetery and the creation of Washington View, a 2 1/2 acre section of land opened up for future burial sites.

2020
2021

Groundbreaking for the new Center for Glenwood, turning the page to a new historic chapter in the life of Glenwood Cemetery

2021

Moving Forward

into the next 150 years

The Center for Glenwood will provide a place to gather for families, visitors, and community members alike, a place to host events, such as educational seminars, a place to research and connect with the history and legacies memorialized at Glenwood and a place that will help the community to experience all that Glenwood has to offer.

Donor Recognition Opportunities

Physical Spaces

  • Welcome Center Naming $3,000,000
  • Groundskeeping (Maintenance) Headquarters $1,500,000
  • Porte Cochere $1,000,000
  • Porch $750,000
  • Archives Room $250,000
  • Sales Office $250,000
  • Safe $100,000
  • Reception Area Offices One (1) NAMED $100,000

    1 Available

  • Catering Area $100,000
  • Rear Downstairs Offices One (1) NAMED $50,000

    1 Available

Quiet Spaces

  • Ravine Gardens $1,000,000

Donor Wall

  • Recognition will be available starting at $5,000

Glenwood Donor Recognition

To date, Glenwood has raised $13.9 million towards its $15 million campaign goal.

Thank you to those who have partnered with us to lead the giving for
The Campaign for The Center for Glenwood

Lead DOnors

Richard A. and Bonnie K. Ambrus

Diana Austin and Sandra Altman

Rudge Allen Family

James A. Baker, III and Susan G. Baker

Carol and Les Ballard

Ellanor Allday Beard

Robert T. Blakely

Ann and John Bookout III

The Brown Foundation, Inc.

Carol Pike Butler

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L. Carter

Bryan D. Coleman

Betty and Bill Conner

The Crain Foundation

William Leslie and Ann Flowers Doggett

Dugan Foundation

Anne and Charles Duncan

Susan and Mac Dunwoody

The Elkins Foundation

The Williams Stamp Farish Fund

The Favrot Fund

The Fondren Foundation

Julia and Russell Frankel

The Frill Foundation

Betsy Frost and Family

William R. and Alice G. Gamble

Susan Clayton Garwood

GRITS Foundation

Steve and Kate Gibson

Cynthia and Ben Guill

The Hastings Family

Hildebrand Foundation

Huffington Foundation

Jesse W. Couch Charitable Foundation

Carmen Moure Knapp

Jerry and Jill Kyle

Margene West Lloyd

Cornelia Long

Claudia and Fred Lummis

David R. Lummis

Gaylord G. and P. Bradley Lummis

Isabel S. and Ransom C. Lummis

Marilyn G. Lummis

Lisa B. and William N. Mathis

The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation

Joan T. Neuhaus

Carolyn Payne

Julie and Leon Payne

Doug Pitcock

H. Russell Pitman

Mimi and Charlie Prioleau

Isla and T.R. Reckling III

Robertson Family

Ann and J. Hugh Roff, Jr.

The Roff Foundation

Dr. Paul and Allene Lummis Russell

Fayez Sarofim

Mr. and Mrs. Carl W. Schumacher Jr.

Scurlock Foundation

Susan Vaughan Foundation, Inc.

Vivian L. Smith Foundation

Peter and Elizabeth Wareing

W. Temple Webber Family

The West Endowment

F. Carrington and Mary Ann Weems

The William A. and Madeline Welder Smith Foundation

Raye G. White

William S. and Lora Jean Kilroy Foundation

Wallace S. Wilson

James D. and Jeanette F. Woods

Nina and Michael Zilkha

Join us as we extend Glenwood’s legacy and importance into the future.

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Download or print more information about Glenwood’s historic anniversary.

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