The Main Post Cemetery at Fort Riley was established in 1853 making it the oldest historic property at Fort Riley with the exception of the Cavalry Parade Field. The cemetery of 1853 is in the location of the present cemetery. Two later areas of expansion to the west increased the size of the cemetery to its current appearance. Earliest graves are located on a knoll on the northeast side, the highest point in the cemetery. Topography played a role in the siting of graves, and is indicative of mid-19th Century cemetery design. Moving from east to west, the cemetery transitions from a free-form layout with elaborate funerary monuments, to a more regimented design with uniformly spaced grave stones of identical design. Walking through the Main Post Cemetery, visitors experience excerpts from the history of Fort Riley as told by those interred there. It truly is a remarkable place to visit, remember and pay honor to those who served.