Pioneers Rest Cemetery, the oldest historic burial ground in Fort Worth, stands as a significant landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Located at 620 Samuels Ave., this unique cemetery is the only one in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with such a designation and one of just 11 in Texas. Established in 1850, a year after Fort Worth's founding as a military outpost, the seven-acre site holds over 1,500 graves and has become an enduring symbol of the city’s heritage.
The cemetery, maintained by an all-volunteer nonprofit association, is open to the public 24/7 through a pedestrian gate, offering a green space for residents in Fort Worth’s Uptown and Downtown areas. With two Texas Historical Commission plaques, the cemetery also recently completed a main entrance restoration, funded by commission grants, to preserve its historic integrity.
This resting place is notable for its unique grave markers, which reflect mid-19th to early 20th-century design trends, featuring Gothic, Egyptian, Classical Revival, and Rustic motifs. The cemetery houses the graves of some of Fort Worth's earliest settlers, including General Edward H. Tarrant, for whom Tarrant County is named, as well as 11 soldiers and Major Ripley Arnold’s two young children.
To enrich visitors’ experiences, Pioneers Rest Cemetery has implemented a QR code program that provides historical information at different locations within the grounds. This innovative educational feature has received recognition in local media as a model for historic sites across the country.
The nonprofit association regularly seeks volunteers to assist with maintenance tasks like weeding, cleaning, and planting, and additional help is needed to plan the upcoming Fall Fest. The group remains committed to preserving the cemetery’s historical significance and sharing its stories with the community.
