Elder Dixon Cemetery

Elder Dixon Cemetery Elder Dixon Cemetery was established in 2015 when Mandy Dixon transitioned in to the arms of God and was laid to rest on Feb 8, 2015.

On February 9, 2024 Elder Dixon was laid to rest alongside his wife. Ashley Kamil Smith is the Cemetery Administratior.

The first time I heard this song my grandfather was singing it. Elder Dixon told me the story and I'm telling it to the...
04/02/2026

The first time I heard this song my grandfather was singing it.



Elder Dixon told me the story and I'm telling it to the next generation.

He never sold and I'll NEVER SELL!
Elder Dixon 2/28/1933
Ashley Kamil 2/28/1984

66 Bateman road formally known as Rural Rt 5 box 5 in Gonzales TX is a 62 year old 1964 .

It's history and story are my responsibility to preserve.

It was extremely difficult for a black man to build a home in Gonzales County in 1964. Despite being the year the Civil Rights Act was passed, systemic barriers in 1964 Texas made homeownership and construction nearly impossible for most Black men.
did it in

Here are the obstacles he overcame!

While working locally for various employers including Southern Clay Products he built a home for less than $50.00 a month with each monthly mortgage payment.(he kept every money order receipt stub)

​Key Obstacles
​Redlining: Federal and local policies frequently classified Black neighborhoods as "hazardous," denying residents access to standard mortgages.
​Discriminatory Lending: Most banks flatly refused to lend to Black borrowers, forcing them into predatory "contract-for-deed" cycles where they gained no equity.
​Zoning and Covenants: Many Texas subdivisions used "racially restrictive covenants"—legal clauses in property deeds that explicitly banned the sale or lease of the home to non-white individuals.
​Construction Barriers: Finding a contractor willing to build in certain areas or securing the necessary permits often required navigating a hostile local bureaucracy.
​While some individuals succeeded through private financing or community-led cooperatives, they often faced targeted tax hikes or a lack of basic city services like paved roads and sewage.

Jim Walter Homes revolutionized housing for Black Southerners by operating outside the traditional banking system that had locked them out through redlining and discriminatory lending.
​Why Jim Walter was the Go-To Builder in 1964
​The "Shell Home" Model: Jim Walter didn't build finished houses; they built the "shell"—the framing, roof, and siding. This made the homes cheap enough that a buyer didn't need a massive bank loan.
​No Credit Checks (In-House Financing): In 1964, most banks in Texas would not give a Black man a mortgage. Jim Walter provided its own financing. If a man owned a small piece of land (even if it was rural "family land" in Gonzales County), that land served as his down payment.
​The "Sweat Equity" Loophole: By 1964, Black families were using these shell homes to bypass Jim Crow restrictions. Because the inside was unfinished, the owner could do the plumbing, wiring, and drywall themselves or with neighbors, avoiding the need for expensive, white-owned contracting firms that often refused to work in Black neighborhoods.
​The Trade-Off
​While Jim Walter enabled thousands of Black families to own homes when no one else would help, it wasn't a perfect solution:
​High Interest: Because they didn't require credit checks, their interest rates were significantly higher than standard FHA loans.
​No Interior: The houses were often sold without insulation, interior walls, or finished flooring. Many Black families lived in these "shells" for years, finishing one room at a time as they could afford materials.
​The 1964 Context
​By 1964, the Jim Walter Corporation was at its peak, going public and acquiring other companies. They were building thousands of homes a year across the South. In rural areas like Gonzales County, a significant percentage of new Black-owned housing in the 1960s was likely a Jim Walter shell, as it was the only way to bypass the "white-only" banking and construction bureaucracies of the time.

Elder Dixon Cemetery is located in what used to be Called Here is some history.Ottine, Texas, is a fascinating unincor...
03/21/2026

Elder Dixon Cemetery is located in what used to be Called

Here is some history.

Ottine, Texas, is a fascinating unincorporated community in western Gonzales County, famous for its "jungle-like" swamp, therapeutic mineral waters, and deep-rooted resilience.

​1. Origins and Naming (1879–1892)
​The town was founded by Adolf Otto and his wife, Christine. Its name is a "portmanteau"—a blend of their two names (Ott-o and Christ-ine).
​Early Industry: Before it was Ottine, it was known as Otto’s Mill. Adolf Otto utilized the natural sulfur springs and the San Marcos River to power a water gin and a gristmill.
​The Railroad Boom: In the late 1800s, it became a stop on the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, transforming the small settlement into a bustling trading center with general stores, a sawmill, and a blacksmith shop.

​2. The "Accidental" Mineral Springs (1909)
​While the sulfur springs were always present, the town's modern fame came from a mistake. In 1909, "wildcatters" (including Howard Hughes Sr.) were drilling for oil. Instead of "black gold," they struck the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer at 1,550 feet.
​They unleashed a massive flow of 106°F mineral-rich water.
​The well was eventually capped and left "for the good of the community," as the drillers recognized the water's unique properties.

​3. The Polio Era: Warm Springs (1930s–1950s)
​During the height of the polio epidemic, local businessmen realized the therapeutic potential of the warm, buoyant mineral water.
​Gonzales Warm Springs Foundation: Established in 1937, it became a world-renowned rehabilitation center for children with polio.
​Legacy of Inclusion: Notably, it was one of the few treatment centers at the time that was non-segregated, providing care regardless of race, religion, or a family's ability to pay.
​Shift in Mission: After the Salk vaccine was developed in the 1950s, the facility transitioned to treating various neuromuscular disabilities until it relocated to Luling in 2002.

​4. Conservation and Palmetto State Park
​In 1933, the state acquired roughly 200 acres of the "Ottine Swamp" to create Palmetto State Park.
​The CCC: During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the park's iconic sandstone refectory and water tower.
​The Ecosystem: The park is unique because its artesian springs and high humidity allow tropical dwarf palmettos to thrive, creating a swamp environment that feels more like East Texas or Louisiana than Central Texas.

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Address

96 Bateman Road
Gonzales, TX
78629

Opening Hours

Tuesday 7am - 12pm
Wednesday 7am - 12pm
Thursday 7am - 12pm

Telephone

+14699670015

Website

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