American settlement in this area began when families and enslaved persons from Louisiana arrived in the 1840s to engage in farming. The neighboring community of Colita grew, organizing Bethel Baptist Church in Colita in 1849. A few years later, the church built another church building in Bold Springs, also named Bethel Baptist Church, on two acres from Mary M. Poindexter. Services utilized the two buildings on a rotating schedule. The Bold Springs area became an attractive alternative in the 1860s when Colita experienced decline, and in 1871, Bethel Baptist Church officially moved to Bold Springs. Recognizing the need for a burial ground, the church set aside part of its land for that purpose. More land was added in 1893 from Thompson & Tucker Lumber Company and in 1987 from Wirt Davis estates bringing the total land area for the cemetery to 3.41 acres. The first recorded grave is that of Mary Watts (1830-1882). Gravestones reflect fraternal orders such as the Masons, Eastern Star and Woodsmen of the World, as well as at least eighty recognized veterans. Previous pastors of Bethel Baptist Church, including Patrick Henry Bilbro and J.C. Hand, are interred here. Bold Springs is also the final resting place of early residents such as Bethel deacon and county commissioner George Grimshaw (1884-1979) and postmistress Nettie Burgess (1854-1927). Bethel Baptist Church retained control of the cemetery, trusting its upkeep to the deacon board. Caretakers of the cemetery in the 1900s include deacons George Grimshaw and Roland Wilder. In 1988, Bethel transferred ownership of the cemetery to the newly formed Bold Springs Cemetery Association. The association maintains the still-active burial ground. Bold Springs Cemetery is a testament to generations of residents of this small community. HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY – 2022