Old Plum Grove Cemetery began as a family burial ground when Texas pioneer John Y. Criswell buried his wife, Eleanor, on this site. The Criswell family was part of Stephen F. Austin's third colony, which arrived in Texas by 1830. In 1839, Plum Grove Baptist Church, which became linked to the cemetery, formed as one of the earliest Baptist churches in the State of Texas. In 1851, John Click deeded the land for the church and cemetery to the congregation. Church participation declined in the 1860s, and by the end of the decade the congregation moved its place of worship. Soon afterward, the nearby community of West Point grew and began using the burial ground. The earliest grave here dates to 1835, and other graves include those of military veterans involved in conflicts dating to the Texas Revolution. The cemetery had two sections, one for white burials and the other for African American burials. Today, as one cemetery, the site reflects the history of the surrounding communities.