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DAVIS HISTORY

How old the Davis Cemetery is

The Davis Cemetery includes grave markers dating to the 1850s, preserving a record of settlers from before Davisville became a railroad town.

The Davis Cemetery predates the railroad town itself. The City’s historic tour identifies grave markers from the 1850s, making the cemetery one of the clearest physical links to the settlement era before Davisville took shape in 1868.

1850sSome of the earliest surviving grave markers date from this decade.
1868Davisville begins growing around the railroad nearby.
Period1850s onward
EvidenceDocumented
Last checked2026-08-18
SourceCity of Davis — Historic Pedestrian and Bike Tour
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Keep exploring Davis history

Why Davis was once called DavisvilleThe railroad settlement that grew here in 1868 was known as Davisville, a name tied to rancher Jerome C. Davis and the Davis ranch.Jerome and Mary Davis and the ranch behind the city nameJerome and Mary Davis owned a ranch that once covered roughly 12,000 acres; the city’s name derives from that ranch.Davis public art mapThe City publishes public-art resources and a pocket map organized by area, with public art listings plus bike paths, parks and art institutions.Follies2025 student-designed gathering structures celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Davis Farmers Market. Installations include downtown locations near Hunt-Boyer and the Amtrak station.Fiat LuxNicole Beck’s 2024 stainless-steel and dichroic-glass work honoring the life of Karim Abou Najm.Balance BeamCedric Wentworth’s steel-and-bronze sculpture, now installed in front of Veterans Memorial Theatre in Community Park.