This cemetery served settlers of the McMinn community. The community and cemetery were named for John W. and Evaline McMinn, who settled in this area in 1849. They donated land for the cemetery in 1894, although the oldest known burial dates to 1877, and there are also a number of unmarked graves. Area residents also built a church and school at the site. The decline of the McMinn community began with the arrival of the railroad in Nevada, which encouraged settlers to relocate to the nearby town. Today, the cemetery stands as a reminder of the early community.