FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The city of Fayetteville honors one of the state’s first politicians.

The Department of Arkansas Heritage and the Evergreen Cemetery Association unveiled a new memorial marker at the gravesite of Archibald Yell. Yell was Arkansas’ first congressman and the state’s second governor.

Marilyn Heifner is the president of the Fayetteville Evergreen Cemetery Association. She says the marker adds to the rich history of Fayetteville.

“At one time, this was the city cemetery. We have a lot of important people to Fayetteville’s history that are buried here,” Heifner said. “If you’re new to the cemetery, or don’t know much about Fayetteville history, it might be hard for you to discern all of the important people that are here. So, we’re just trying to find a way to point those out.”

Some of the other famous people buried in the cemetery include Sen. J. William Fulbright and architect Edward Durell Stone whose works include the Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Heifner says the cemetery plans to add more markers in the future.

While Yell’s name was memorialized at the cemetery, it was recently removed from a Fayetteville road sign.

The city changed the name of Archibald Yell Boulevard to Nelson Hackett Boulevard.

Nelson Hackett was a Fayetteville slave who escaped to freedom in Canada in the 1840s only to be deported back to Northwest Arkansas after Yell made a formal request to Canadian authorities.

In addition to the street name, Hackett is honored with a bronze plaque on the Fayetteville Square.