BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. – It was an emotional morning at the Historic Fairview Cemetery Tuesday as state, county and city officials gathered to celebrate the completion of a monthslong renovation project. 

Crews worked for months to clean up historic burial sites and put in new headstones. 

Bernalillo County Manager Julie Morgas Baca said now the site is a final resting place worthy of the heroes buried here. 

“What a worthy cause and probably the easiest decision I’ve had to make,” she said about being approached about the project.

The volunteers who clean the graves say they date back to the Civil War, but there are veterans from nearly every battle in American history buried there.

John Garcia, the NMSBA district director, said there’s a lot of history buried in just the few graves that were restored.

“They served in the New Mexico calvary during the state’s early days of territorial days at places like Fort Craig, Fort Sumner, Fort Stanton. There are the legendary valiant buffalo soldiers who are laid to rest here,” he said Tuesday at the rededication.

It’s been a labor of love and a worthy cause, especially for the contractor, Chris Pacheco, owner of Pluma Construction System, collaborators said.

“He’s a decorated Army Airborne Ranger, and he ensured the work here was done with intent not just as a contractor moving dirt and raising headstones but with intent as a fellow veteran,” Garcia said about Pacheco.

Pacheco and his crew were there Tuesday as well. 

“I’m humbled, humbled and honored that our construction company had a role in this,” Pacheco said.

Jamison Herrera, the State Veterans Affairs Cabinet Secretary, said this project is just a small example of how you can honor and serve those who served our country.

“Don’t wait for Memorial Day to memorialize our veterans and our families and our legacy of honor that we have in the state of New Mexico,” said Pacheco.