The Hicksville Cemetery, located on Arno Rd about 1/8th mile East of Hwy 99, was part of a 1846 land grant to Billy Hicks from Captain John Sutter. Billy Hicks’ first wife, weakened from childbirth, died of cholera and was followed two weeks later by his new baby daughter. They are believed to be the first white settlers to be buried in the cemetery though it is believed that Native American Indians had been burying nearby for years previous. Unfortunately, their markers have long been lost due to vandals, fire or flood that used to commonly occur.

As Billy Hicks deeded the parcels of his land grant to family members and other settlers, the private graveyard became a cemetery for the community. The earliest record of the Galt-Arno Cemetery shows that a baby, Louie Davis, was buried here in 1857. In 1897, Mr JH McKune deeded the Hicksville Cemetery to the Methodist-Episcopal Church. Although the church is no longer standing, it is believed to have sat in front of or near the Davis family plot. In the winter there is a distinct outline seen where a building could have stood.

Located at the East side of the cemetery are the Blue and McKean family plots. They descended from Alex Blue, a Miwok, who at the age of 9 mysteriously appeared at the Hicks Ranch and worked for Billy the rest of his life. Because Alex was highly regarded, the East side of the cemetery was set aside for his family and descendents.

In August of 1952, the Community Methodist Church transferred the deed of the Hicksville Cemetery to the County of Sacramento. At the same time, a resolution was passed by the County to form the Galt-Arno Cemetery District, a political subdivision of the County of Sacramento.