A walk through the Fairview Cemetery reveals why the city of Bastrop wants to preserve it.
"It's a matter of pride for the community to take care of its cemetery," Robbie Sanders said.
Sanders is most touched by the story of World War II babies buried here. They are nameless souls buried by the community, when their mothers couldn't afford to bury them back in the 1940s.
"I tell that story periodically and people just start weeping," Sanders said.
The cemetery, which dates back to 1832, is the burial place of veterans ranging from the War of 1812 to the Persian Gulf War. On Thursday the Texas Historical Commission officially recognized the cemetery with a plaque. A stone gazebo was also dedicated in honor of the veterans and Texas pioneers. Fairview is being considered for the National Register of Historic Places. Fairview is a Texas Historical Cemetery and is also a city of Bastrop Historic Landmark.
Former Texas Gov. Joseph Sayers is also buried in the cemetery – one of few governors buried outside of Austin.
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Historic cemetery
Bastrop's Fairview Cemetery is one of the state's oldest cemeteries.
 
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Elroy Williams is also touched by the stories found here at the cemetery, especially the story of Robert Kerr, Bastrop's first black state legislator.
"The significance to the black history, to our kids in this area; we want our kids to realize that blacks have contributed," Williams said.
For others, the cemetery represents their direct past. Lena and Walter Purcell have a lot of family members buried in Fairview.
"There's a lot of history in this cemetery. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in the state of Texas," Walter said.
Fairview Cemetery is located in the 1100 block of State Highway 95. It is just short of 1 mile north of the intersection of Highway 95 and State Highway 71. For more information, call the Bastrop County Historical Society at (512) 303-0057.
