The cemetery must have been started around 1897. According to the markers, there were six people buried in that year. They are Bryan Dewey Brasher, age 0; Flora Langston, age 1; Nora Langston, age 3; Coralie Louise Merkel, age 1; Norman C. Sparkes, age 0; and Martha Stewart, age 35. There are 213 known grave sites, 48 unknown and probably 9 with no markers of any type. At one time there were several rocks used as markers but these have been replaced with concrete cap blocks.

Cahaba Heights was once known as New Merkel. It was named after Mr. William A. Merkel who was the Chief Engineer for the City of Birmingham in charge of building the first water pumping station on the Cahaba River in 1887. The water mains are still in use and pass directly in front of the cemetery. Once there was a large upright pipe by the cemetery that was used to help in the pumping operations but was removed in the early 1980's. At that time the cemetery was known as the Standpipe Cemetery. Mr. Merkel, his first wife Ada, his second wife Ella and daughter Coralie are all buried in the cemetery.

The only Methodist minister that served our church to be buried in the cemetery was Reverend W. D. Stewart. Along side of him is his first wife Martha and second wife Isa Jane. They are enclosed in a low wall area straight in from the front gate and across from Mr. Merkel.

Three men that died in a coal mine accident in 1913 are buried side by side. They are W. E. Bragg, J. W. Langston and L. L. Patterson. They were all related in life and now joined in death. Their monuments are the three tall ones a short distance in from the front gate.

One of the earlier Professors at the New Merkel School was Professor Thomas G. Whaley. He is the only Professor to be buried in the cemetery.

Many years ago, an elderly Ann Patterson Bragg was walking between two siblings homes on Oak Mountain. One house could not be seen from the other house but were not far apart. She did not arrive at the second house and has never been seen or heard from since that morning. There had been several search parties looking for her but to no avail. There is a marker in the cemetery for her grave but no death date.

Also a former Assistant Chief of the Coral Gables Police Department in Florida is buried in the cemetery. His name is Floyd P. Brasher.