Those who fought great battles, negotiated historic treaties, and wrote the laws that brought Texas into being lie at rest in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. So do a host of writers and educators, astronauts and athletes, Texas Rangers and elected officials. Even some rogues and scoundrels have a resting place at the State Cemetery. Texas is the only state with a cemetery dedicated to its heroes and public officials, and all of the State Cemetery's honored dead helped make Texas what it is today.

This book tells the stories of the Texas State Cemetery and of many noteworthy Texans who are buried in its peaceful lawns and hillsides. It opens with a history of the Cemetery, which was established in 1851 upon the death of Edward Burleson, commander of troops at the Battle of San Jacinto and Vice President of the Republic of Texas. Subsequent chapters provide short biographies of notable Texans buried in the Cemetery from the following eras and groups: the Republic of Texas and the Civil War, public officials, cultural figures, educators, and Texas Rangers. Each chapter is introduced by a prominent person who will someday lie at rest in the Texas State Cemetery, and an epilogue by Governor Rick Perry concludes the text. Magnificent color photographs by Laurence Parent, as well as historical photographs, offer an evocative visual tour of the Texas State Cemetery and its monuments.