How Did Historic Fairview Cemetery Get Established?
In November 1881, Elias Stover wrote a letter published in the Albuquerque Morning Journal, informing the Board of Trade Association that people were burying their friends along the side of a sand hill, which was never intended to be a cemetery. Out of concern came a vision. Historic Fairview Cemetery was founded as Albuquerque’s first all-inclusive cemetery, at a time when a thoughtfully planned burial ground signaled a city’s growth and permanence. Unlike many earlier cemeteries, Historic Fairview was located on the east mesa, where there was no risk of spring flooding. In fact, burials had already begun there. The earliest known interment is that of a young boy from Corrales in 1881—five years before the cemetery was officially founded. The site proved ideal: its soft soil made digging easier, and its proximity to “New Town” made it accessible to a growing population.
Albuquerque in the late 19th century was a patchwork of neighborhoods and communities. While some relied on churchyards, there was no non-denominational, integrated cemetery—until Fairview. Over time, it grew to include sections for fraternal organizations, military service members, family plots, infants and stillborn children, and cultural groups who chose to be laid to rest together.
Today, Historic Fairview Cemetery continues to serve the community, now cared for by a dedicated, all-volunteer nonprofit organization that preserves both its history and its purpose.
Historic Landmark Designation
The City of Albuquerque approved the cemetery as a historic city landmark on October 21, 2024. With that, the cemetery must follow strict design guidelines. The cemetery features diverse grave markers and monuments reflecting funerary practices from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The guidelines emphasize preservation of significant features, including various types of grave markers (tablet-style, obelisk-style, flat markers, slant markers, ledger stones) and symbols from fraternal organizations.
Key Findings and Guidelines
The Design Standards align with the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) criteria, ensuring consistency with the cemetery’s historic designation and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
Preservation guidelines include:
Limited cleaning methods: soft-bristled brushes and non-ionic detergents.
Repairs must match original materials and designs.
Replacement markers should replicate original forms and details.
The original entry gate, pillars, and boundary walls must be preserved, with repairs matching original specifications.
The cemetery’s circulation patterns, including dirt roads and footpaths, should maintain historic widths and alignments.
You can learn more about Historic Fairview Cemetery in this New Mexico magazine article: A Visit to the Oldest Public Cemetery in Albuquerque, by clicking here.
