Preservation Through Pastries: Rice Cemetery Foundation Rallies Community Support

CAMERON, TX — History was served with a side of sweetness this past weekend as the Rice Cemetery Foundation hosted a community bake sale to fund the ongoing preservation of one of the area’s most enduring historical landmarks.

Under the fresh leadership of newly appointed President Shannon O’Brien, the foundation set up shop at the Cameron Farm and Ranch Company parking lot on Saturday. The event saw a steady stream of locals eager to support the restoration of a site that serves as a silent, stone chronicle of the region’s heritage.

A Century and a Half of Heritage

Rice Cemetery stands as one of the oldest hallowed grounds in the county, with a history that stretches back deep into the 19th century. While the grounds have been a focal point for the community for generations, the physical evidence of its age is found on the headstones themselves.

The cemetery features graves dating back to the late 1800s, marking the final resting places of the area's earliest pioneer families. For over 140 years, these monuments have stood against the Texas elements, but the passage of time has made the Foundation's mission more urgent than ever.

The Foundation’s Mission

The Rice Cemetery Foundation was established with a singular focus: to ensure that the stories of those interred are not lost to the tall grass. Preservation efforts go beyond simple mowing; they involve:

Specialized Masonry Cleaning: Removing lichen and biological growth that eats away at 19th-century marble.

Stabilization: Re-leveling headstones that have begun to lean or sink due to over a century of soil shifts.

Documentation: Mapping the oldest sections of the cemetery to ensure every grave—even those whose markers have faded—is remembered.

"When you see dates from the 1880s and 1890s, you realize you aren't just looking at a grave; you're looking at the people who built this town," says a representative of the foundation.

 Sweet Success for a Serious Cause

The bake sale held this past weekend—running from 8:00 a.m. until sold out—was a strategic effort to raise the "seed money" required for the next phase of restoration. Proceeds from the sale of homemade pies, cookies, and breakfast pastries are earmarked for immediate upkeep and the purchase of preservation-grade materials for headstone repair.

By transforming local support into tangible restoration efforts, Shannon O’Brien and the Rice Cemetery Foundation are ensuring that this historic landscape remains a permanent, well-tended part of the Texas countryside for another hundred years.

How to Help: Community members interested in volunteering for future clean-up days or making a donation to the preservation fund can contact the Rice Cemetery Foundation, Inc., 3965 S Hwy 77, Cameron TX 76520.