Ghost Town Cemetery Near Abilene Honors Memorial Day

If you're looking for something different and special for Memorial Day, the commemorative gathering at Belle Plain Cemetery might be the ticket.

Belle Plain Cemetery sits on a slight hill overlooking the ghost town ruins of Belle Plain itself. The cemetery has graves dating back to 1879, including markers of Civil War Veterans, World War I and World War II veterans. Some graves which are unmarked might be even older, according to John Compere, a Baird historian with extensive knowledge about Belle Plain.

The festivities include a flag raising ceremony, a 'missing man' flyover by vintage World War II aircraft, a short historical presentation, and good home cooked food.

Admission is free and they ask that all who go be parked by 10:30 am to be ready for the 11 am start on Monday, May 30th.

The pictures here were all taken on my visit to the cemetery and the ghost town last year. You can see detailed pictures of the ghost town ruins here on my previous post, 'Belle Plain - A Ghost Town Near Abilene'. The cemetery is meticulously kept by the Belle Plain Cemetery Association which is comprised partly of descendants of those buried there. There's a covered pavilion to get out of the West Texas sun.

The cemetery is about 8 miles south of Baird, just off Highway 283, and it's a great opportunity to view the ghost town ruins while you're in the area.

I will guarantee that you'll come away from the Memorial Day events with an appreciation for Texas history and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Some of the information here is taken from the story by John Compere in the May edition of the Buffalo Gap Round-Up News. They don't have a website but you can email them at buffalogapnews@aol.com . Event schedules in the Abilene Reporter News just a click ahead at the link. All photos by Randy Jones. (via ReporterNews.com)

Here are more pictures of the historic Belle Plain Cemetery.