Arlington National Cemetery

"Arlington National Cemetery." ca. 1920-ca. 1950

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 250,000 American military servicemen. It is located in the county of Arlington, Virginia, not far from the Pentagon and across the Potomac River from Washington DC. It is also the location of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which houses three anonymous service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

History

The use of Arlington as a cemetery began during the American Civil War, on confiscated land owned by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Union soldier William Henry Christman was the first serviceman to be interred on May 13, 1864. The use of General Lee's property was intentional, to ensure that the land could never be reoccupied by what many saw as his treason. The 200 acre cemetery was officially designated on June 15, 1864, by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. By the end of the war there were more than 16,000 soldiers buried.

Other Facts

There are more than 3,800 former slaves buried in the cemetery. Their headstones are have the word "Civilian" or "Citizen" on them.

Two former Presidents of the United States are buried in the cemetery: William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy.

Four former United States Supreme Court Justices are buried in the cemetery: William Howard Taft, Earl Warren, Warren Burger, and William Rehnquist.

Boxer Joe Louis is also buried there.

See Also

Arlington House

Resources

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/index.htm Rick Atkinson, "The Nation's Cemetery," National Geographic (June 2007): 127-137.