The burial service for the unidentified dead was held June 22, 1947 Cars were park a mile and a half up and down the highway, and the crowd was estimated at 5,ooo. The sixty-three caskets were brought from Camp Wallace by separate hearses from fifty-one participating funeral homes in twenty-eight cities. It was a striking procession, probably the longest in the history of funeral services. Each casket was carried by pallbearers from the American Legion, V.F.W., Labor Organizations and Volunteer Firemen. Each was decorated with a spray of flowers, gifts of the Florist Association. In this small plot of ground, at the time only a scarred prairie, were placed the remains of sixty-three unidentified dead, each in its own casket, each in its own lined grave~numbered and recorded so that if a new inquiry were ever necessary the information would be available. No one else ever has ever been buried in this cemetery; no one else ever will be. It stands as a resting place for those unidentified, and a memorial for all those who suffered during that time.

The Park was built in remembrance of the

sixty –three unidentified victims of the 1947 Texas City Disaster.

The park was rebuilt in 1991 during Charles T.

Doyle ‘s term as Mayor. At this time a new

section was added in remembrance of those who died defending the Country and the Texas

City Firemen and Police who died in the line of

duty.In 2007 the city built a

new section for the Compassionate Friends in remembrance of the

children whose life ended too early

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More than 550 people lost their lives, more than 3,000 were injured. Encased around this fountain are the numbered markers from the graves of the sixty-three unknown victims

GRIEF ByLee A Stark

April 16, 2000Purchased by Mayor Charles T.

Doyle with private donations by

corporate, business and

individuals. Dedicated to the

anniversary of the Texas City

Disaster in 1947. The French

Ship “Grand Camp” exploded

and resulted in our nation’s

worst industrial disaster.

“Grief” represents these

tragedies and the many lives

that were changed forever.

May those who lost their lives

rest in peace

WAR & PEACEIN SOLEMN

REMEMBRANCE OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS AND

THEIR ULTIMATE SACRIFICE . THIS

MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE

CITIZENS OF TEXAS CITY

The entire Texas City Volunteer Fire Dept. lost their lives in the Grand Camp explosion

Monsanto Memorial to the several hundred plant workers who lost

their lives on April 16, 1947

Monsanto Plant parking lot and houses near the plant

THE GRAND CAMP’S

ANCHOR

ON THIS SITE, WITHIN THESE OVAL

WALKWAYS ARE BURIED THE REMAINS OF THE

UNIDENTIFIED DEAD, KILLED BY THE SHIP EXPLOSIONS ON

APRIL 16, 1947

In Memory of the French Officers and Sailors who died on April 16. 1947 - They were from the cities of Grand Camp and Nantes France located near the

beaches of Normandy

In 2007 the City of Texas City allowed the Compassionate friend to set aside a section of the park as a remembrance for families who lost children at a young age. The Compassionate Friends helping newly bereaved energy that has been directed inward begins to flow outward and both are helped to heal. The vision of TCF is that

everyone who need us will find us and everyone who finds us will be helped

Words of remembrance embedded in the walkwaysIn the Compassionate Friends

section of the Park

Texas City has more Statues than any city it’s size in

America

In 2000 the Doyle Center was dedicated with the Phoenix Fountain symbolizing the mythical bird rising from the ashes. Like the Phoenix, Texas City rose and In 1997 was named an All American City

Last Slide