Barnes Camp Creek Cemetery is one of ten Crook County cemeteries to be listed as an Oregon Historic Cemetery. The other historic cemeteries in this county are: Roberts Cemetery, Beaver Creek Cemetery, Delore/Suplee Cemetery, Maury Cemetery, Knox/Post Cemetery, Howard Cemetery, Pilgrim's Rest (Powell Butte) Cemetery, Mill Creek Cemetery, and Juniper Haven (Prineville) Cemetery.

To be an Oregon Historic Cemetery, state law requires the cemetery must have at least one burial of a person who died before February 14, 1909 and be listed with the Oregon Commission on Historic Cemeteries.

The name Barnes is derived from Samuel Houston Barnes, better known as Harry Barnes. In 1893, Harry was working in Albany, Oregon, when a man came along looking for help in herding 500 cattle to the Hackleman Ranch (this cemetery is on a portion of the Hackleman Ranch). Harry signed on, planning to continue on to Idaho, but instead spent the rest of his life here along Camp Creek. In 1896, Harry took up a homestead that he later sold to Lewis O. Weaver. The site of Barnes is shown on a 1910 map by J.H. Haner Abstract Company, Prineville, Oregon.

The Barnes homestead house served as a post office with the name "Barnes". The post office was established May 1909 and Harry was the first postmaster. The post office was discontinued July 1923 and the mail was directed through Roberts Post Office.

Camp Creek is identified on early maps of the area, and Steve Lent, in his book "Central Oregon Place Names, Vol. 1, Crook County" writes: "Camp Creek was an early campsite for several parties, among the first was the 1845 Lost Meek Wagon Train. The Meek group separated at the South Fork of the Crooked River and one group followed Camp Creek to the Crooked River, and the other followed Bear Creek and west to the Deschutes River."

The butte just to the west of this cemetery is Logan Butte. It is named after Thomas Jefferson Logan. Thomas and his son Sanders founded the 96 Ranch in the early 1870's. The 96 ranch is located on the Van Lake Road, south of Logan Butte.