Editing Yorktown, Texas (section)

=== Lithuanian heritage ===
Yorktown, located in Texas, holds the distinction of being the site of the oldest known Lithuanian-American community in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1607388/lithuanian-american-heritage-map-five-year-mission-to-cover-century-and-a-half-history |title= Lithuanian-American heritage map: five-year mission to cover century-and-a-half history |publisher=[[Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija]]|accessdate=6 August 2024}}</ref>  Although most current Texans of Lithuanian descent are not directly connected to this community, its history remains significant. The first Lithuanians arrived in Texas in 1852, shortly after the Mexican-American War. These early settlers hailed from [[Lithuania Minor]], a region under German control at the time, rather than from the part of Lithuania controlled by the Russian Empire, where serfdom and restricted emigration still prevailed. Upon arrival, the Lithuanians integrated into the German-American communities, as their culture bore similarities to that of the Germans.<ref name=lithuania>{{cite web|url= https://global.truelithuania.com/texas-1108/ |title= Texas Lithuanians |publisher=truelithuania.com|accessdate=6 August 2024}}</ref>

The most prominent symbol of Yorktown's Lithuanian roots is the Smith Creek Lithuanian Cemetery. In the late 20th century, descendants of the Yorktown Lithuanians restored the cemetery. They erected a sign indicating it as a Lithuanian cemetery and painted the Lithuanian flag. Approximately 30 tombstones remain, although more individuals might have been buried there.<ref name=lithuania />

Several descendants of the first Lithuanian Texans funded a memorial plaque in Yorktown. The plaque, written in English, states: "Lithuanians in Texas. Among the many European immigrants arriving in Texas in the mid-19th century was a small group of Lithuanians who settled in the Yorktown vicinity of De Witt County. Due to their eventual assimilation with the numerous German immigrants in the area, the Lithuanians and their contributions to the history of this region were overlooked for generations. Records reveal that the first Lithuanian family to settle in this area probably was that of David and Dora (Scholze) Stanchos. They arrived about 1852, making them among the earliest documented Lithuanian immigrants to America. By 1874 they were joined by about 70 more immigrants, most from the province of Gumbinnen in what was then part of East Prussia. Leaving their homeland for a variety of religious and political reasons, the Lithuanians arrived in Texas primarily through the ports of Galveston and Indianola. Establishing farms in the area, the Lithuanians became American citizens and contributed to the history and culture of this area. Men from the community fought on both sides of the American Civil War. A small graveyard south of Yorktown known as Jonischkies Cemetery contains the interments of many of these early settlers."This plaque is one of the few Lithuanian-related memorial plaques in the United States.<ref name=lithuania/>

Yorktown's history museum features numerous exhibits related to Lithuanian culture and the first Lithuanians in Yorktown. These include copies of letters written in Lithuanian, 19th-century Lithuanian work tools, a fishing net, and cattle branding irons.<ref name=lithuania/>

The first Lithuanians in Yorktown were Lutherans. Together with local Germans, they contributed to the construction of St. Paul Lutheran Church. The first church was built in 1874, and it was completely rebuilt in 1930. Some of the stained-glass windows feature Lithuanian family names, such as the Joniškis family.<ref name=lithuania/>

The unique history and longevity of Yorktown's Lithuanian community have attracted various researchers from both the United States and Lithuania. A documentary film and several books have been produced about this community, highlighting its cultural significance and historical contributions.<ref name=lithuania/>