Bringing New Life to an Old Cemetery: The Preservation of Oak Grove Cemetery for Heritage Tourism Interpretation in Nacogdoches, Texas.

摘要

Nacogdoches is known as the oldest town in Texas and as the location of some of the first shots fired of the Texas Revolution. Visitors travel to the city to learn about this exciting period in history but are rarely exposed to a rich array of events in subsequent years or the variety of resources off the beaten path. This thesis connects individuals from the Texas Revolution through the mid-twentieth century who are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery with historic sites, structures, artifacts, and documents associated with them through a set of interpretative materials. By connecting these resources, tourists have the encouragement to explore a wider range of historic topics that are usually passed by. Through this information, this thesis emphasizes the role of Oak Grove Cemetery as a heritage tourism resource and the importance of cemetery preservation. The significance of this thesis lies in its combination of usual site based, heritage tourism, major events, and individuals with a broader scope of historic resources to create a combination of print and web based interpretation and preservation materials.