Established in 1885, the cemetery is the burial place of many prominent figures of Armenian-American history, including Soghomon Tehlirian, Victor Maghakian, and William Saroyan.

[4][5] The cemetery was established in 1885 at the southeast corner of Belmont and Hughes avenues, west of Fresno on land granted by Moses J.

It is believed that Mary Papazian, the second Armenian to die in Fresno, was the first to be buried there.

[4] In 1956, with the efforts of the association, the cemetery expanded by acquiring a two-acre parcel of land beside the existing.

The memorial includes bones from unknown victims brought over from Der Zor, Syria.