Have you driven by this Hidden Sierra Vista Landmark?

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU DRIVEN BY THIS HIDDEN SIERRA VISTA LANDMARK?

How many times have you driven past the hidden history in the middle of Sierra Vista? I turned from Fry Boulevard onto North Seventh Street the other day and saw something I don’t ever remember seeing. To be fair, right across the street is one of those announcement flags waving the word ‘YOGA’ as loudly as a flag can wave, so that’s where my attention always goes.

How could I miss this wrought iron sign and gabion wall. It's set back off the street a little, but it's plain as day! Fry Pioneer Cemetery fence and wall facing Seventh Street. Image Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

PIONEER CEMETERY CATCHES MY ATTENTION

For some reason on this day, the wrought iron gate and gabion wall caught my attention to the left. “What is that?”, I almost said out loud, even though I was the only person in the car. And then I saw the wrought iron sign which reads Pioneer Cemetery, and to be honest, I felt a little sheepish. How could I have missed it, right there on the corner of Fry and 7^th, not once or twice, but I didn’t notice it for years?

Cecil David Fry was born in Barker, Harris, Texas. He came to Cochise County with his father Oliver Fry in 1913. Photo Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

A FACELIFT FOR FRY PIONEER CEMETERY

Memories began to bubble up slowly as I remembered reading about the cemetery restoration a few years ago–about the time COVID began erasing our memories and skewing time. A quick search of the Sierra Vista Herald’s archives brought up an article entitled, Reviving history: Fry Pioneer Cemetery receives facelift ahead of centennial celebration published November 2, 2019. According to the article, the City of Sierra Vista acquired what is known as the Fry Pioneer cemetery in 2018. Locals, volunteers, and historical restoration groups worked to clean it up, and it’s even listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Fry Pioneer Cemetery, established in 1919, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Photo Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

OLIVER FRY’S FAMILY PLOT

According to Wikipedia, Oliver Fry and his two eldest sons traveled from Texas by railroad, settling just east of Fort Huachuca in January 1913. Oliver Fry’s wife Elizabeth Cathcart Fry was the first person interred in the Fry’s family plot. Subsequent family members and others who settled in the community are buried there, with a small memorial courtesy of the Butterfly Gardens is dedicated to the infants who are buried there.

Many members of the Fry Family are interred in the Historic Pioneer Cemetery in Sierra Vista. Image Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

WHEN TO VISIT PIONEER CEMETERY

If your eyes are sharper than mine, maybe you’ve visited our little hidden landmark. But if you’d like to take a self-guided tour, Pioneer Cemetery is open Monday through Friday fro 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Many of the infants buried in the Pioneer Cemetery were the result of the local brothel located just outside of Fort Huachuca. The brothel operated until World War II. The Butterfly Gardens, Inc., set up this memorial garden in their honor. Image Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

Restoration of the Pioneer Cemetery was a community effort and many individuals and local businesses worked together to preserve our little corner of history. Image Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media

Part of the Infants Memorial Garden in Pioneer Cemetery. Image Credit: Val Davidson/Townsquare Media