By Jay Moore

Looking for a leisurely walk in historic Abilene? Head over to North 10th and Cottonwood Street. Park anywhere. Then enjoy a quiet stroll through the lanes of the city cemetery. No one will bother you.

The city cemetery on Cottonwood Street began life in 1881 as just one of three adjacent cemeteries, all roughly the same size. You can see from the map below that the original City section was on the south end, (far right) bordering N. 7th. The Masonic section was in the middle and the Odd Fellows Cemetery (abbreviated I.O.O.F., International Order of Odd Fellows) bordered N. 10th Street. The part of the cemetery on the northside of 10th was a private venture known as Cedar Hill Cemetery and opened 41 years later in 1922. 

Today, all 4 sections, covering 43 acres, are owned by us – the City of Abilene – and are identified by their original names: City, Masonic, I.O.O.F., and Cedar Hill.  If you happen to be in the market for a final resting place, and would like to join over 26,000 former Abilenians, there is still room left in each section. Plots go for $750. 

In 1888, the city put up a fence around the cemetery and discovered that 14 graves were outside the legal boundary. So those people were asked to relocate inside the fence, which they did without a peep. A plot went for $2 in 1888 with grave digging costing an extra bit, ranging from $3 to $5. (Based on your height?)

One grave I find interesting is that of the first child born in Abilene.  A.M. and Fanny Barnett welcomed a baby girl on March 3, 1881, nearly two weeks before the town lot sale that created Abilene. The Barnetts decided to name their daughter in honor of her infant hometown. She was Abilene Barnett. Her grave is in the City section and her marker is near the fence bordering Cottonwood Street. I’ll bet you can find it.