List of memorials and monuments at Arlington National Cemetery

Last updated

Entry sign at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery Visitors Center - sign - 2011.JPG
Entry sign at Arlington National Cemetery

Memorials and monuments at Arlington National Cemetery include 28 major and 142 minor monuments and memorials. Arlington National Cemetery is a United States national cemetery located in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It is managed by the United States Army, rather than the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Contents

The first major memorial in the cemetery was completed in 1866. Entry gates in the cemetery were later dedicated to Union Army generals. The Spanish–American War and World War I led to the construction of several more major memorials. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was constructed in 1921, although the large sarcophagus above the burial vault was not dedicated until 1932. Almost a third of the cemetery's major memorials have been constructed since 1983.

Owing to space constraints, Arlington National Cemetery does not permit the construction of large memorials or monuments without an act of Congress. The cemetery does, however, encourage the donation of trees ("living memorials") and permits small memorial plaques to be placed before these plantings. As of 2011, there were 142 such memorial plaques in the cemetery.

Memorials and monuments

Creating Arlington National Cemetery

In 1778, John Parke Custis purchased a 1,100-acre (450 ha) tract of sylvan land on the Potomac River north of the town of Alexandria, Virginia. [1] [2] This land became the Arlington Estate. In time, his granddaughter, Mary Anna Randolph Custis, inherited the estate. [3] She married Robert E. Lee, an impoverished lieutenant in the United States Army, in June 1831. [1] With the outbreak of the American Civil War on April 12, 1861, Robert E. Lee resigned from the United States Army and took command of Virginia's armed forces on April 23. [2] Mary Custis Lee fled the house on May 17, [4] [5] and Union troops occupied Arlington Estate and Arlington House on May 24. [6]

On July 16, 1862, the United States Congress passed legislation authorizing the purchase of land for national cemeteries for military dead. [7] In May 1864, large numbers of Union forces died in the Battle of the Wilderness, requiring a large new cemetery to be built near the District of Columbia. [8] A study quickly determined that the Arlington Estate was the most suitable property for this purpose. [8] Although the first military burial at Arlington occurred on May 13, 1864, [2] formal authorization for burials did not occur until June 15, 1864. [5] [9]

First memorials and monuments

The McClellan Gate, erected in 1879, was the second memorial emplaced at Arlington National Cemetery. McClellan Gate - looking WNW - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG
The McClellan Gate, erected in 1879, was the second memorial emplaced at Arlington National Cemetery.

The first memorials at Arlington National Cemetery were built during and immediately after the Civil War. These first memorials were small, as the federal government (burdened by the cost of the war) expended little money on the cemetery. [10]

The first memorial constructed was the Civil War Unknowns Monument. United States Army Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs ordered the construction of the monument in 1865. [11] The bodies of 2,111 Union and Confederate dead were collected and placed in a vault beneath the monument, which was sealed in September 1866. [11]

In 1867, Congress enacted legislation requiring that all military cemeteries be fenced. Meigs ordered the construction of a red Seneca sandstone wall around the cemetery. The construction of the wall (which would not be complete until 1897) necessitated the construction of gates as well. [12] Construction began on a memorial to Major General George B. McClellan (the McClellan Gate) in 1870, but delays in obtaining high-quality red Seneca sandstone delayed its completion until 1879. [13]

The Spanish–American War of 1898 led to the creation of several new memorials: The Spanish–American War Memorial in 1902, [14] the Spanish–American War Nurses Memorial in 1905, [15] and the Rough Riders Memorial in 1907. [16] Two more major memorials were added prior to World War I: The Confederate Monument in 1914, [17] and the USS Maine Memorial in 1915. [18]

Another nine memorials, most of them commemorating World War I, were added in the 1920s and 1930s. This included the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was dedicated on November 11, 1921. The cenotaph above the tomb is a later addition, and was dedicated on November 11, 1932. [19] At the end of World War II, the cemetery had a total of 16 major memorials. Another 12 major memorials were added after 1949, with eight of these constructed after 1983.

Former memorials and monuments

The Sheridan Gate in 1900. Sheridan Gate - Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington VA - 1900.jpg
The Sheridan Gate in 1900.
The Temple of Fame in 1903. The Civil War Unknowns Monument can be seen in the background under the trees. Temple of Fame - Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington VA - 1903.jpg
The Temple of Fame in 1903. The Civil War Unknowns Monument can be seen in the background under the trees.

Several memorials and monuments in Arlington National Cemetery no longer exist. One of the earliest memorials to be built in the cemetery was the Sheridan Gate, named for General Philip Sheridan. [20] The gate was constructed in 1879 of four Ionic columns salvaged from the demolition of the War Department Building (located at the site of the current Eisenhower Executive Office Building). [21] Initially, there was no name inscribed on the gate's pediment, although the last names of Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Edwin M. Stanton, and Winfield Scott were chiseled into the front of each column. [22] After the death of Sheridan, his last name was added to the pediment and the gate became known as the Sheridan Gate. [23] Another early memorial was the Ord-Weitzel Gate, named for Major General Edward Ord and Major General Godfrey Weitzel. Also completed in 1879, it was constructed from two salvaged War Department Building columns. [24] Like the Sheridan Gate, this gate was initially not dedicated to anyone. But by 1902, with the passing of both Ord and Weitzel, their names were inscribed into left and right columns of the gate, respectively. [25] Arlington National Cemetery's easternmost boundary had, since 1864, been the Arlington Ridge Road (what is present-day Eisenhower Drive). In 1971, the cemetery expanded eastward to its present boundary (the Jefferson Davis Highway). At that time, the Sheridan and Ord-Weitzel gates were dismantled and the columns, marble pediments, and iron gates put into outdoor storage. Unfortunately, both gates were severely damaged during their dismantling. They were further damaged by inappropriate outdoor storage, and have been heavily vandalized. [26]

In 1884, a Temple of Fame was erected in the center of the flower garden on the south side of Arlington House. The U.S. Patent Office building had suffered a fire in 1877, and it was torn down and rebuilt in 1879. In 1884, stone columns, pediments, and entablatures from this demolition were used to construct the Temple of Fame. The Temple was a round, Greek Revival, temple-like structure with Doric columns supporting a central dome. Inscribed on the pediment supporting the dome were the last names of great Americans such as George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and David Farragut. A year after it was built, the last names of several Union Civil War generals (such as George Meade, James B. McPherson, and James A. Garfield) were carved into the columns. [27] Since there wasn't enough marble to rebuild the dome, a tin dome (molded and painted to look like marble) was installed instead. [28] The Temple of Fame was demolished in 1967. [29]

A Confederate monument is scheduled to be removed by December 22, 2023 because of its "sanitized depictions of slavery" and promotion of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy myth. [30]

New memorials and monuments

In 1960, the United States Congress enacted "The Act of 2 September 1960" (74 Stat; 24 U.S.C. 295a). As codified in Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 553, a concurrent or joint resolution of Congress is needed before any new memorial or monument may be placed at Arlington. [31] This requirement does not apply to group burials, for which an aboveground marker may be erected without congressional approval. [32]

The rules were relaxed somewhat in 2012. On August 6, 2012, Congress enacted the "Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012" (P.L. 112–154; 126 Stat. 1165). Title VI, Section 604 of this legislation permits the Secretary of the Army to establish regulations for the erection at Arlington National Cemetery of memorials or monuments to an individual or military event if 25 years have passed. Such monuments may be placed only in areas designated by the Secretary of the Army, and must be paid for entirely by private donations. All alternative locations to Arlington National Cemetery must be ruled out, and the United States Commission of Fine Arts must be consulted on the memorial's appropriateness. The 25-year requirement may be waived if the event or service is ongoing, or if a "manifest injustice" would occur. In such cases, Congress may override the waiver by joint resolution within 60 days. [33]

In 2012, legislation began moving through Congress to approve a "Place of Remembrance" at Arlington National Cemetery. The memorial will be an ossuary designed to contain fragments of remains which are unidentifiable through DNA analysis. The legislation required that these remains be cremated before placement in the memorial. Cemetery officials said that Arlington National Cemetery has no means of receiving and burying these remains, and placing them in the Tomb of the Unknowns would be inappropriate. [34] The legislation leaves the design and placement of the memorial up to cemetery officials. On September 18, 2012, the House of Representatives approved the memorial, sending the legislation to the Senate. [35] This legislation was not acted on by the Senate, and died at the end of the 112th United States Congress.

In May 2014, Arlington National Cemetery officials renamed the Old Amphitheater, rededicating it as the James R. Tanner Memorial Amphitheater. Tanner, a Union Army veteran, lost both legs during the American Civil War. He became a stenographer and clerk with the War Department, and took down most of the eyewitness testimony during the early hours of the investigation into the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Tanner is buried a few yards from the amphitheater. [36]

List of major memorials and monuments

The Canadian Cross of Sacrifice in 2011 Canadian Cross - closeup - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG
The Canadian Cross of Sacrifice in 2011
The Rough Riders Monument in 2011 Rough Riders Monument - face - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG
The Rough Riders Monument in 2011

Below is a list of the major memorials and monuments in the cemetery. [37]

SiteDate createdSectionCoordinatesNotes
3rd Infantry Division Memorial199046 38°52′36″N77°04′26″W / 38.876774°N 77.073814°W / 38.876774; -77.073814 (3rd Infantry (the Old Guard) Memorial) [38]
Argonne Cross 192318 38°52′18″N77°04′32″W / 38.871556°N 77.075582°W / 38.871556; -77.075582 (Argonne Cross) [39]
Arlington Memorial Amphitheater 192035/48 38°52′35″N77°04′22″W / 38.876413°N 77.072746°W / 38.876413; -77.072746 (Arlington Memorial Amphitheater) [40]
Battle of the Bulge Memorial200621 38°52′30″N77°04′32″W / 38.874954°N 77.075566°W / 38.874954; -77.075566 (Battle of the Bulge Memorial) [41]
Canadian Cross of Sacrifice 192746 38°52′37″N77°04′27″W / 38.876977°N 77.074106°W / 38.876977; -77.074106 (Canadian Cross of Sacrifice) [42]
Chaplains' Monument19262 38°52′45″N77°04′11″W / 38.879055°N 77.069846°W / 38.879055; -77.069846 (Chaplains' Monument) [43]
Civil War Unknowns Monument 186626 38°52′49″N77°04′23″W / 38.880416°N 77.073183°W / 38.880416; -77.073183 (Civil War Unknowns Monument) [11]
Confederate Memorial 191416 38°52′34″N77°04′38″W / 38.876121°N 77.077278°W / 38.876121; -77.077278 (Confederate Monument) [17]
Iran Rescue Mission Memorial198346 38°52′36″N77°04′26″W / 38.876761°N 77.074011°W / 38.876761; -77.074011 (Iran Rescue Mission Memorial) [44]
James Tanner Amphitheater 1874 / 201426 38°52′49″N77°04′26″W / 38.880262°N 77.073885°W / 38.880262; -77.073885 (James R. Tanner Memorial Amphitheater) [lower-alpha 1] [36]
John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame 196345 38°52′54″N77°04′17″W / 38.88153°N 77.07150°W / 38.88153; -77.07150 (John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame) [45]
Korean War Contemplative Bench198748 38°52′37″N77°04′23″W / 38.877083°N 77.073192°W / 38.877083; -77.073192 (Korean War Contemplative Bench) [46]
McClellan Gate 187933 38°52′44″N77°04′02″W / 38.87879°N 77.067109°W / 38.87879; -77.067109 (McClellan Gate) [13]
Nurses Memorial193821 38°52′30″N77°04′29″W / 38.874874°N 77.074841°W / 38.874874; -77.074841 (Nurses Memorial) [47]
Pan Am Flight 103 Memorial19951 38°52′51″N77°04′30″W / 38.880875°N 77.074924°W / 38.880875; -77.074924 (Pan Am Flight 103 Memorial) [48]
Robert F. Kennedy Gravesite 196845 38°52′52″N77°04′17″W / 38.88118°N 77.07150°W / 38.88118; -77.07150 (Grave of Robert F. Kennedy) [49]
Rough Riders Memorial 190722 38°52′32″N77°04′34″W / 38.87543°N 77.075994°W / 38.87543; -77.075994 (Rough Riders Memorial) [16]
Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial198746 38°52′36″N77°04′27″W / 38.87675°N 77.074045°W / 38.87675; -77.074045 (Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial) [50]
Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial200446 38°52′36″N77°04′26″W / 38.876772°N 77.073979°W / 38.876772; -77.073979 (Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial) [51]
Spanish–American War Memorial 190222 38°52′31″N77°04′28″W / 38.875374°N 77.074544°W / 38.875374; -77.074544 (Spanish–American War Memorial) [14]
Spanish–American War Nurses Memorial 190521 38°52′30″N77°04′32″W / 38.874951°N 77.075426°W / 38.874951; -77.075426 (Spanish–American War Nurses Memorial) [15]
Tomb of the Unknowns 192148 38°52′35″N77°04′20″W / 38.87638°N 77.07217°W / 38.87638; -77.07217 (Tomb of the Unknowns) [19]
United States Coast Guard Memorial19284 38°52′15″N77°04′06″W / 38.870885°N 77.068261°W / 38.870885; -77.068261 (United States Coast Guard Memorial) [52]
Unknown Dead of 1812 Memorial19761 38°52′51″N77°04′30″W / 38.880724°N 77.075119°W / 38.880724; -77.075119 (Unknown Dead of 1812 Memorial) [53]
USS Maine Mast Memorial 191524 38°52′35″N77°04′29″W / 38.876503°N 77.074714°W / 38.876503; -77.074714 (USS Maine Memorial) [18]
USS Serpens Memorial194934 38°52′27″N77°04′07″W / 38.874035°N 77.068668°W / 38.874035; -77.068668 (USS Serpens Memorial) [54]
Victims of Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon Memorial 200564 38°52′24″N77°03′39″W / 38.873461°N 77.060939°W / 38.873461; -77.060939 (Victims of Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon Memorial) [55]
William Howard Taft Monument193230 38°53′01″N77°04′10″W / 38.883667°N 77.069313°W / 38.883667; -77.069313 (William Howard Taft Monument) [56]
Woodhull Memorial Flagpole192435 38°52′32″N77°04′23″W / 38.875552°N 77.073075°W / 38.875552; -77.073075 (Woodhull Memorial Flagpole) [57]

List of minor memorials and monuments

The 63rd Infantry Division memorial plaque in Section 12 63rd Infantry Division memorial - Arlington National Cemtery - 2011.JPG
The 63rd Infantry Division memorial plaque in Section 12
The Americal Division memorial plaque in Section 34 Americal Division memorial - Arlington National Cemtery - 2011.JPG
The Americal Division memorial plaque in Section 34
USS Salem memorial plaque in Section 12 USS Salem memorial - Arlington National Cemtery - 2011.JPG
USS Salem memorial plaque in Section 12
The War Correspondents memorial in Section 46 is unusual for being of marble and designed like a book. War Correspondents memorial - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG
The War Correspondents memorial in Section 46 is unusual for being of marble and designed like a book.

The U.S. Army has statutory authority to manage Arlington National Cemetery under the National Cemetery Act, as amended. [58] Under regulations issued in Title 32, Section 553.22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, [59] the Army established a mechanism for proposing and building minor memorials at Arlington National Cemetery without requiring an act of Congress. Appendix A to Section 553 ("Specifications for Tributes in Arlington National Cemetery") lays out the specific form these minor memorials may take. In summary, most minor memorials must be a small plaque no more than 36 square inches (230 cm2) in area, and no more than 2 inches (5.1 cm) thick. Wording must be dignified, and the Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery has sole and unlimited authority to accept or reject the plaque's design and wording.

A short time prior to 2014, Arlington National Cemetery discontinued the practice of allowing memorial trees, accompanied by plaques, to be placed in the cemetery. [60]

Below is a list of the minor memorials and monuments in the cemetery. [61]

MemorialSectionTree
100th Infantry Division Association034 Maple, Red
104th Timberwolf Division, World War II032 Cherry, Yoshino
11th Airborne Division009Maple, Red
125th Air Transport Group003Maple, Red
13th Airborne Division033 Zelkova, Japanese
144th Army Postal Unit032 Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
16th Infantry Regiment Association003 Crape Myrtle, Common
173rd Airborne Brigade (Sky Soldiers)033Maple, Red
174th Field Artillery Battalion034Maple, Red
17th Airborne Division033Zelkova, Japanese
199th Light Infantry Brigade031 Oak, Shumard
1st Armored "Old Ironsides" Division046 Pine, Eastern White
1st Cavalry Division033Maple, Red
1st Marine Division Association025 Cedar, Blue Atlas
23rd Infantry Regiment031 Dogwood, Kousa
2nd US Infantry Division037 Holly, American
319th Bomb Group Association034Maple, Red
325th Glider Regiment007 Maple, Sugar
385th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, World War II046Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
3rd United States Infantry (The Old Guard)035Dogwood, Kousa
416th Bombardment Group (L)048Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
423rd Army Field Artillery Battalion003Maple, Sugar
446th Bomb Group034Maple, Sugar
454th Bombardment Group022 Oak, Pin
455th Bombardment Group002Oak, Pin
461st Bomb Group Association034 Goldenrain Tree
484th Bombardment Group033 Gingko
487th Bombardment Group009Holly, American
4th Infantry (Ivy) Division021Dogwood, Kousa
503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team033 Magnolia, Southern
505th Parachute Regimental Combat Team033Zelkova, Japanese
508th Parachute Infantry Regiment035 Spruce, Colorado Blue
511th Parachute Infantry Regiment048Cherry, Yoshino
551st Parachute Infantry Battalion033 Oak, Northern Red
56th Field Artillery Battalion, 8th Infantry Division033Maple, Red
5th Regimental Combat Team005 Tuliptree
63rd Infantry Division007Oak, Pin
65th Infantry Division021Maple, Sugar
82nd Airborne Division048 Pine, Austrian
82nd Airborne – Golden Brigade007Maple, Red
83rd Infantry Division Association037 Dogwood, Flowering
8th Air Force Association034Maple, Red
93rd Bombardment Group002Holly, American
94th Infantry Division046 Sweetgum, American
96th Infantry Division Association034Maple, Red
9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry Association (Buffalo Soldiers)022Dogwood, Kousa
African American Korean War Veterans021 Oak, Sawtooth
Air Force Arlington Ladies (Vandenberg)030 Oak, Swamp White
Airborne (50th Anniversary Foundation)002Maple, Red
America the Beautiful Grove031Zelkova, Japanese
Americal Division034Maple, Red
American Ex-Prisoners of War033Dogwood, Kousa
American War Mothers035Cedar, Blue Atlas
American-Armenian Volunteers at Argonne018Magnolia, Southern
Amphibious Scouts and Raiders of World War II031Maple, Red
Army Arlington Ladies013Holly, American
Bataan and Corregidor, American Defenders of048Dogwood, Kousa
Battle of the Bulge, Veterans of046 Cherry, Japanese Flowering
Battlefield Commissions, National Order of037Maple, Red
Beirut Victims of Terrorism059 Cedar of Lebanon
Berlin Airlift Veterans006Maple, Sugar
Buffalo Soldiers (92nd Infantry)023Maple, Red
Catholic War Veterans012Oak, Pin
China-Burma-India Veterans002Oak, Pin
Civil Air Patrol033Maple, Red
Danish Fight for Freedom Grove024 Oak, English
Daughters of American Colonists001 Oak, White
Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America035Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
Daughters of the American Revolution (National)031Maple, Red
Daughters of the American Revolution (Arlington Chapter)030Maple, Sugar
El Salvador012Oak, White
Elbe River, American-Soviet Link-Up07A Birch, Heritage River
Ex-POWs of the Korean War002Maple, Red
Flying Tigers002Oak, White
Frogmen, U.D.T. (Underwater Demolition Team)031Maple, Red
Gilbert Azaleas035 Azalea
Glider Pilots, World War II033Maple, Red
Gold Star Mothers002Cedar, Blue Atlas
Indigenous People (Native Americans)008 Cottonwood, Eastern
Jumping Mustangs, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry048Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
Khe Sanh Veterans002Ginkgo
Korean War Dead048 Mountainash, Korean
Korean War Vets048 Pine, Korean
Landing Craft Support Ships (LCS(L) 1–130)046 Oak, Willow
Laotian Counterparts 002 Cedar, Atlas
Lexington Minute Men001 Hemlock, Eastern
Marshall Plan Anniversary007Oak, Swamp White
Medal of Honor Grove (American Forests)048 Elm, Chinese
Merrill's Marauders (5307th Composite)013Elm, Hybrid
Military Chaplains002Ginkgo
Military Order of the World Wars012Zelkova, Japanese
Military Police055Magnolia, Southern
Miller, Glenn (Army Air Force Orchestra)013Holly, American
Montford Point Marines023Pine, Eastern White
Mother of the Unknown Soldier (the Mother's Tree)035Birch, Heritage River
Nagata Japanese Cherry Trees054Cherry, Japanese Flowering
National Arborist Association054Oak, White
Naval Order of the United States001 Holly, Japanese
Navy Arlington Ladies034 Beech, Weeping European
Navy Bombing Squadron VB 104012Oak, Shumard
Operation Restore Hope060Sweetgum, American
Operation Tiger013Pine, Eastern White
Pacific Island Americans026 Serviceberry, Downy
Paderewski (Polish Legion of American Veterans)024 Linden, Little-leaf
Peace Maker, The – December 1999003Cedar, Blue Atlas
Pearl Harbor035Linden, Littleleaf
Persian Gulf War060Oak, Willow
POW-MIA035 Serviceberry, Autumn Brilliance
Purple Heart, Military Order of the035Cherry, Kwanzan Japanese Flowering
Quartermaster Corps Association034 Maple, Japanese
Rakkasans (187th Airborne)07AOak, Willow
Ranger Advisors013Magnolia, Southern
Retired Officers Association, The048Oak, Pin
Reuben H. Tucker Chapter, 82nd Airborne031Oak, Northern Red
Russian Orthodox Church013Magnolia, Southern
Schweinfurt035Oak, Northern Red
Special Operations046Oak, Northern Red
State Department African Embassy Bombing Victims051Tuliptree
Swiss Internees012Oak, Willow
Take Pride in America Grove054Dogwood, Kousa
Task Force Smith021Cherry, Yoshino
Triple Nickels (555th Parachute Infantry Division)023Hemlock, Eastern
Tuskegee Airmen 046Maple, Sugar
U.S. Army Reserves013 Maple, October Glory Red
U.S. Colored Troops and Freed Slaves027Maple, Red
U.S. LST Association (Liberty Ships)003Oak, Willow
U.S. Navy Cruiser Association033Maple, Red
Unit K-West and B-East (Navy Mess Stewards)002Cedar, Atlas
USS Boston Shipmates048Oak, Northern Red
USS Canberra Association034Maple, Japanese
USS Frank E. Evans Association006 Magnolia, Saucer
USS Houston and HMAS Perth012Zelkova, Japanese
USS Iowa Victims060 Redbud, Eastern
USS Salem Association012Oak, Northern Red
USS Underhill033 Tupelo, Black
Victims of Terrorism055Magnolia, Southern
Vietnam028Maple, Red
Vietnam Veterans (VFW Ladies Auxiliary)048Spruce, Colorado Blue
Vietnamese Airborne Regiment Association047Maple, Red
War Correspondents046Oak, Willow
World War I034 Spruce, Hoopsii Blue
World War II036Maple, Sugar

Nearby memorials and monuments

The Seabees Memorial on Memorial Avenue Seabee Memorial - looking E - Arlington National Cemetery - 2011.JPG
The Seabees Memorial on Memorial Avenue

Several memorials and monuments are immediately adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. These are often mistakenly assumed to be part of the cemetery, but are not. These include:

Memorial Avenue

A number of public improvements and memorials were planned for construction in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for the 1932 bicentennial of the birth of George Washington, the first President of the United States and American Revolutionary War hero. Among these were Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway (now known as the George Washington Memorial Parkway). To link the Virginia landing of the bridge with Arlington National Cemetery, a wide avenue known as Memorial Avenue was constructed and a new entrance to the cemetery (the Hemicycle) constructed.

Memorial Avenue is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. [62] The roadway was formally transferred from the U.S. Army to the Department of the Interior in October 1940. [63] The memorials and monuments which line Memorial Avenue are often believed to be part of Arlington National Cemetery, but are not. The memorials and monuments on Memorial Avenue include (as of 2012): [64]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington National Cemetery</span> Military cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, US

Arlington National Cemetery is one of two cemeteries in the United States National Cemetery System that are maintained by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres in Arlington County, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine Corps War Memorial</span> National war memorial in Arlington, Virginia, United States

The United States Marine Corps War Memorial is a national memorial located in Arlington County, Virginia. The memorial was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775. It is located in Arlington Ridge Park within the George Washington Memorial Parkway, near the Ord-Weitzel Gate to Arlington National Cemetery and the Netherlands Carillon. The memorial was turned over to the National Park Service in 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Ord</span> United States Army general (1818–1883)

Edward Otho Cresap Ord was an American engineer and United States Army officer who saw action in the Seminole War, the Indian Wars, and the American Civil War. He commanded an army during the final days of the Civil War, and was instrumental in forcing the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. He also designed Fort Sam Houston. He died in Havana, Cuba of yellow fever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Chaplains</span> American military chaplains who gave up their lives to save others in WWII

The Four Chaplains, also referred to as the Immortal Chaplains or the Dorchester Chaplains, were four World War II chaplains who died rescuing civilian and military personnel as the American troop ship SS Dorchester sank on February 3, 1943, in what has been referred to as the second-worst sea disaster of World War II. The Dorchester was a civilian liner converted for military service in World War II as a War Shipping Administration troop transport. She was able to carry slightly more than 900 military passengers and crew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Memorial Bridge</span> Bridge in Washington, D.C.

The Arlington Memorial Bridge, often shortened to Memorial Bridge, is a Neoclassical masonry, steel, and stone arch bridge with a central bascule that crosses the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. First proposed in 1886, the bridge went unbuilt for decades thanks to political quarrels over whether the bridge should be a memorial, and to whom or what. Traffic problems associated with the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in November 1921 and the desire to build a bridge in time for the bicentennial of the birth of George Washington led to its construction in 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Washington Memorial Parkway</span> 7,142-acre parkway maintained by the National Park Service

The George Washington Memorial Parkway, colloquially the G.W. Parkway, is a 25-mile-long (40 km) parkway that runs along the south bank of the Potomac River from Mount Vernon, Virginia, northwest to McLean, Virginia, and is maintained by the National Park Service (NPS). It is located almost entirely within Virginia, except for a short portion of the parkway northwest of the Arlington Memorial Bridge that passes over Columbia Island within the District of Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Memorial Amphitheater</span> Historic site in Arlington County, Virginia

Memorial Amphitheater is an outdoor amphitheater, exhibit hall, and nonsectarian chapel located in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It was designed in 1913 as a replacement for the older, wooden amphitheater near Arlington House. Ground was broken for its construction in March 1915 and it was dedicated in May 1920. In the center of its eastern steps is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated in 1921. It has served as the site for numerous Veterans Day and Memorial Day events, as well as for memorial services and funerals for many individuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial</span> Historic estate in Virginia operated by the U.S. National Park Service

Arlington House is the historic family residence of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War in Arlington County, Virginia. The estate of the historic home along with a memorial to Lee are now the center of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, where they overlook the Potomac River and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in Military Service for America Memorial</span>

The Women In Military Service For America Memorial, also known as Military Women's Memorial, is a memorial established by the U.S. federal government which honors women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The memorial is located at the western end of Memorial Avenue at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John C. Metzler Jr.</span> American civil servant (born 1947)

John C. Metzler Jr. is an American civil servant who was Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, from 1991 to 2010. He achieved notoriety in the press at the end of his tenure due to the Arlington National Cemetery mismanagement controversy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civil War Unknowns Monument</span> Monument at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, US

The Civil War Unknowns Monument is a burial vault and memorial honoring unidentified dead from the American Civil War. It is located in the grounds of Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, in the United States. It was designed by Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs and constructed in 1865.

USS <i>Maine</i> Mast Memorial Monument in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

The USS Maine Mast Memorial is a memorial honoring those who died aboard the USS Maine (ACR-1) on February 15, 1898, after a mysterious explosion destroyed the ship while at anchor in Havana Harbor. It is located in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. The memorial consists of the main mast of the battleship set atop a circular concrete burial receiving vault designed to resemble a battleship turret. The memorial has occasionally been used to hold the remains of important individuals, such as Lord Lothian and Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McClellan Gate</span>

The McClellan Gate is a memorial to Major General George B. McClellan located inside Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. Constructed about 1871 on Arlington Ridge Road, it served as a main gate until about 1879 when the Sheridan Gate was constructed. The McClellan Gate became nonfunctional in 1966 when the road closed, and expansion of the cemetery eastward in 1971 left the gate deep inside Arlington. It is the only gate constructed on the cemetery's eastern boundary in the 1800s that survives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish–American War Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)</span> War memorial in Virginia, USA

The Spanish–American War Memorial is a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States that commemorates those American military personnel who died in the Spanish–American War. Constructed by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America and dedicated on May 21, 1902, the memorial consists of a granite column in the center of a small grass-covered plaza. A granite sphere and bronze eagle with outstretched wings stand atop the shaft. The memorial faces west; to its rear across Lawton Avenue is a flagstone terrace on which are placed four cannon, aimed east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish–American War Nurses Memorial</span> Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, USA

The Spanish–American War Nurses Memorial is a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States that commemorates those American nurses who died in the Spanish–American War in 1898. The rough-hewn, grey granite memorial was erected by the Order of Spanish–American War Nurses on May 2, 1905. It stands in the southwestern corner of Section 21, where the first Spanish–American War nurses are buried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rough Riders Memorial</span> Memorial in Virginia, USA

The Rough Riders Memorial is a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States that commemorates those members of the "Rough Riders" who died in the Spanish–American War in 1898. The grey granite shaft was erected by surviving members of the Rough Riders and their friends and supporters. Although Arlington National Cemetery, a number of secondary sources, and even the bronze plaque on the memorial say the monument was dedicated in 1906 and one source says 1905, contemporary newspaper accounts show the memorial was dedicated on April 12, 1907.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Construction of Arlington Memorial Bridge</span> United States historic place

The construction of Arlington Memorial Bridge was a seven-year construction project in Washington, D.C., in the United States to construct the Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River. The bridge was authorized by Congress in February 1925, and was completed in January 1932. As a memorial, its decorative features were extensive and intricate, and resolving the design issues over these details took many years. Tall columns and pylons topped by statuary, Greek Revival temple-like structures, and statue groups were proposed for the ends of the bridge. Carvings and inscriptions were planned for the sides of the bridge, and extensive statuary for the bridge piers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argonne Cross Memorial</span>

The Argonne Cross Memorial is a memorial to American military personnel who died fighting in France during World War I. It was erected on November 13, 1923, and stands in Section 18 of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanner Amphitheater</span> Amphitheater in Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.

The James Tanner Amphitheater is a historic wood and brick amphitheater located at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. The amphitheater, which was originally unnamed, was constructed in 1873 and served as the cemetery's main public meeting space until the completion of Memorial Amphitheater in 1920. The amphitheater was informally called the Old Amphitheater from 1920 to May 2014, when it was renamed the James R. Tanner Amphitheater in honor of James R. Tanner, a disabled American Civil War veteran and influential veterans' organization leader.

References

Notes footnote 60

Tree #78, Section 13: Army Air Forces Orchestra (Glenn Miller) - American Holly

Memorial Trees Updated May 9, 2014.pdf

https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Portals/0/Docs/Memorial%20Trees%20Updated%209-5-2014.pdf?ver=2020-08-27-190631-920

  1. ↑ Built in 1874, the structure was not designated a memorial until May 30, 2014.
Citations
  1. 1 2 Silber, p. 125.
  2. 1 2 3 "Arlington National Cemetery," p. 77.
  3. ↑ Silber, p. 126.
  4. ↑ McCaslin, p. 79-80.
  5. 1 2 Atkinson, p. 25.
  6. ↑ Chase, p. 176.
  7. ↑ "Arlington," p. 77.
  8. 1 2 Cultural Landscape Program, p. 84. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  9. ↑ McCaslin, p. 82.
  10. ↑ Cultural Landscape Program, p. 97. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 Cultural Landscape Program, p. 96. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  12. ↑ Cultural Landscape Program, p. 102. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  13. 1 2 Hughes and Ware, p. 72.
  14. 1 2 "Dedication of Monument." Washington Post. May 15, 1902; "To Spanish War Soldiers." Washington Post. May 20, 1902.
  15. 1 2 "In Memory of Nurses." Washington Post. May 3, 1905.
  16. 1 2 "Rough Riders' Shaft." Washington Post. March 28, 1907; "Greeted High Officials." Washington Post. April 12, 1907.
  17. 1 2 "Gray and Blue Join." Washington Post. June 5, 1914.
  18. 1 2 The USS Maine Memorial was dedicated on May 31, 1915. See: "Honor Heroes Today." Washington Post. May 31, 1915.
  19. 1 2 "Thousands at Arlington Cemetery Visit Shrine of the Unknown." Washington Post. November 14, 1921; Hull, Harris B. "Formal Dedication of Soldier Tomb is Planned On Friday." Washington Post. November 6, 1932; "Armistice Program Will Be Impressive." Washington Post. November 10, 1932.
  20. ↑ Office of the Depot Quartermaster General (August 14, 1912). "Enlargeable map of Arlington National Cemetery showing original location of Sheridan Gate (lower right)". At Schara, Mark (2012). "Map - Arlington National Cemetery, Sheridan Gate, Arlington, Arlington County, VA". Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  21. ↑ Bigler, p. 32-33.
  22. ↑ Decker and McSween, p. 86.
  23. ↑ Historic American Buildings Survey, Arlington National Cemetery, Sheridan Gate, p. 3. Accessed July 15, 2012.
  24. ↑ Goode, p. 334.
  25. ↑ Historic American Buildings Survey, Arlington National Cemetery, Ord-Weitzel Gate, p. 3. Accessed July 15, 2012.
  26. ↑ Historic American Buildings Survey, Arlington National Cemetery, Sheridan Gate, p. 19 Archived January 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine , accessed July 15, 2012; Historic American Buildings Survey, Arlington National Cemetery, Ord-Weitzel Gate, p. 5, accessed 2012-07-15.
  27. ↑ Cultural Landscape Program, p. 122. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  28. ↑ Poole, p. 120.
  29. ↑ Cultural Landscape Program, p. 164. Accessed April 29, 2012.
  30. ↑ McCammon, Sarah (December 18, 2023). "The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery will be dismantled this week". NPR .
  31. ↑ "Commemorative Memorial Markers." Arlington National Cemetery. 2011, accessed 2012-07-015; "Activists on Quest for Civilian War Dead Memorial." CNN.com. August 6, 1999, accessed July 15, 2012.
  32. ↑ Watkins, Zina L. Memorials: Creating National, State, and Local Memorials. Congressional Research Service. Library of Congress. Order Code RS21080. September 1, 2006. Accessed August 7, 2012.
  33. ↑ Honoring America’s Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. Title VI. Section 604. August 6, 2012. Accessed May 5, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Fast Track: 'Place of Remembrance' Planned for Arlington." Navy Times. June 25, 2012.
  35. ↑ Maze, Rick. "House OKs Memorial for Unidentified Remains." Army Times. September 19, 2012. Accessed September 25, 2012.
  36. 1 2 Ruane, Michael E. (May 16, 2014). "Arlington Cemetery to Rename Old Ampitheater for Civil War Double Amputee James Tanner". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  37. ↑ Atkinson, p. 20.
  38. ↑ The 3rd Infantry Division monument was dedicated on August 15, 1990, honoring the veterans who fought in World War I and World War II. See: Polk, p. 72.
  39. ↑ The cross was approved by the Secretary of War on November 17, 1921, and dedicated on November 13, 1923. See: Peters, p. 233; United States Commission of Fine Arts, p. 69; "Dedicate Arlington War Cross." Washington Post. November 14, 1923.
  40. ↑ "Army and Navy Chiefs and Veterans' Representatives Dedicate Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington Cemetery." Washington Post. May 16, 1920.
  41. ↑ Atkinson, p. 132.
  42. ↑ "Canadian Troops Bring Color, Music to War Ceremony." Washington Post. November 10, 1927.
  43. ↑ The first memorial to chaplains serving in the U.S. armed forces was dedicated on May 5, 1926. The World War I Chaplains Memorial is dedicated to those military chaplains of all faiths who died serving in that war. A second memorial, the Protestant Chaplains Memorial, was dedicated on October 26, 1981, and honors Protestant Christian military chaplains who died serving in World War I and World War II. A Catholic Chaplains Memorial was dedicated on May 21, 1989, to those Roman Catholic military chaplains who died in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. See: "Tablet for Heroic Chaplains of Army Will Be Unveiled." Washington Post. April 25, 1926; Garamone, Jim. "Monument Recognizes Jewish Chaplains' Sacrifices." American Forces Press Service. October 24, 2011, accessed July 14, 2012; Harris, Hamil R. "Arlington Memorial Recognizes Jewish Chaplains." Washington Post. October 28, 2011.
  44. ↑ Bigler, p. 99.
  45. ↑ Semple, Jr., Robert B. "Johnson at Grave With the Kennedys." New York Times. March 16, 1967.
  46. ↑ Andrews and Davidson, p. 61.
  47. ↑ "Arlington Monument Unveiled to Watch Over Graves of Nurses." Washington Post. November 9, 1938.
  48. ↑ Nguyen, Lan. "Remembering Flight 103." Washington Post. November 4, 1995.
  49. ↑ "Robert Kennedy's Body Now at Permanent Site," United Press International, December 2, 1971.
  50. ↑ Cohn, D'Vera. "Challenger Crew Is Honored at Arlington." Washington Post. March 22, 1987.
  51. ↑ White, Josh. "Monument to Columbia Crew Dedicated." Washington Post. February 3, 2004.
  52. ↑ The Coast Guard memorial was dedicated May 23, 1928. See: Dodge, p. 92.
  53. ↑ The National Society of the United States Daughters of the War of 1812 provided funding for this memorial, which was dedicated on April 8, 1976. See: Peters, p. 270.
  54. ↑ The dead of the USS Serpens were reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery on June 15, 1949, and the memorial near their mass grave dedicated at that time. See: Peters, p. 272.
  55. ↑ Cass, Connie. "Cremated Remains of Pentagon Victims Are Laid to Rest at National Cemetery". Associated Press. September 13, 2002.
  56. ↑ Peters, p. 203.
  57. ↑ The flagpole is dedicated to the memory of U.S. Navy Commander Maxwell Woodhull and his son, U.S. Army brevet Brigadier General Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull. It was the latter who left a large sum of money in his will to pay for the flagpole. It was erected in 1924. See: Holt, p. 337; "Woodhull Memorial Flagstaff." Arlington National Cemetery. 2011. Accessed July 14, 2012.
  58. ↑ Communications & Outreach Support Division. National Cemetery Administration. "History and Development of the National Cemetery Administration." U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. January 2009, p. 1-6. Accessed July 15, 2012.
  59. ↑ 32 Code of Federal Regulations 553, adopted May 19, 1977, unless otherwise noted. Current as of July 12, 2012.
  60. ↑ "Arlington National Cemetery Historic District. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. NPS Form 10-900" (PDF). National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. February 2, 2014. p. Section 7, page 4. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  61. ↑ "Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Arboretum and Horticulture Trees Memorial Trees" (PDF). arlingtoncemetery.mil. September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
  62. ↑ See: Historic American Engineering Record. George Washington Memorial Parkway. HAER No. VA-69. U.S. Department of the Interior. 1998, p. 184. Archived January 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Accessed May 5, 2013.
  63. ↑ Secrest, James D. "Vote Due Today On Garrison Land." Washington Post. October 9, 1940.
  64. ↑ "Monuments on Memorial Avenue, National Park Service." Arlington National Cemetery. 2011. Archived May 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Accessed July 14, 2012.

Bibliography

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.