Oilfield Cemetery

Cedar tree growing in the middle of the Oilfield Cemetery

NPS Photo / Scott Sharaga

Quick Facts

Location:

Saratoga, TX

Designation:

Historic Texas Cemetery

MANAGED BY:

Privately Owned

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The Oilfield Cemetery dates back to 1888 for the burial of Joseph S. Cotten, son of John Fletcher Cotten—one of the area's first European American settlers.

In the early 1900s, when the oil boom struck Saratoga, many oil derricks and structures were built throughout the oilfield, surrounding the cemetery. Residents decided to move the town away from the oilfield, but continued to bury their dead “down in the oilfield.”

Today, the Oilfield Cemetery is still in use, and the people of Saratoga continue to bury their loved ones there. A large cedar tree stands majestically in the middle of cemetery while the sounds of active oil pumpjacks infiltrate the stillness.

Private Property

Note: The cemetery is privately-owned but open to the public; please be respectful of the graves. The oilfield surrounding the cemetery is private property.