What is the oldest grave at Arlington?

On May 13, 1864, Private William Christman became the first soldier to be buried at Arlington, and on June 15, 1864, the Army formally designated 200 acres of the property as a military cemetery.

Where is the oldest grave in Arlington?

[2]Mitgang, 16-17. [3] The grave of William Christman, a Private from the 67th Pennsylvania is the oldest military grave at Arlington. Christman was laid to rest on May 13, 1864.

What is the oldest section in Arlington National Cemetery?

The four burials took place in Section 27 (pictured), the oldest section of the cemetery: Private William Henry Christman, 67th Pennsylvania Infantry: first military service member interred at Arlington.

Who is the most famous person buried in Arlington National Cemetery?

JOHN F.

Kennedy was laid to rest in Arlington. Each year millions of people visit the gravesite of the 35th President marked by an eternal flame.

Is Jackie Kennedy buried in Arlington?

Location. Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, next to her first husband, John F. Kennedy. The two lie side-by-side within the Kennedy Monument in Section 45 of the historical landmark.

FAMOUS GRAVES at Arlington | History Traveler Episode 19

Can husband and wife be buried together in Arlington?

—The remains of the following individuals may be buried in Arlington National Cemetery: ''(1) The spouse, surviving spouse, minor child, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent, unmarried adult child of a person listed in subsection (a), but only if buried in the same gravesite as that person.

Who is buried in front of Arlington House?

At the front of the house is the tomb of Pierre L'Enfant, the man who designed Washington D. C. L'Enfant was originally buried on Digges Farm in Prince Georges County, Maryland, when he died in 1825. Because he fought in the American Revolution, he was reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery in 1909.

How much does it cost to be buried in Arlington?

Arlington National Cemetery does not charge fees for an interment or inurnment at the cemetery. The only potential costs to the estate of the deceased are for vaults.

What is the most visited grave in Arlington Cemetery?

While President Kennedy's eternal flame and the Tomb of the Unknowns are the most visited destinations within the 624-acre site, here are 12 other Arlington Cemetery notable graves.

Are there slaves buried in Arlington National Cemetery?

Nearly 3,800 "citizens" or "contrabands" (former slaves who were living in government facilities and settlements in the Washington, D.C. region) are interred in Section 27. Citizen or civilian is inscribed on their headstones.

Is Robert E. Lee buried in Arlington Cemetery?

No one knows if it was because his front lawn became a graveyard or because he had just had enough with the Washington area, but Lee moved to Lexington, Virginia and died five years later. He is buried at Lee Chapel in Lexington, and not in Arlington Cemetery where he once lived.

Who was the first black soldier buried at Arlington?

So reads the tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery of Alexander Thomas Augusta, the first black surgeon commissioned in the Union Army during the Civil War and the first black officer-rank soldier to be buried at Arlington Cemetery.

How long is the wait for burial at Arlington?

For cremated remains, wait times average between nine and eleven months for a service requiring military funeral honors with funeral escort, and up to seven to eight months for a military funeral honors service without funeral escort, or for a dependent honors service.

Who was the first black person buried in Arlington Cemetery?

James Parks (1843-1929) The first graves at Arlington National Cemetery were dug by James Parks, who was born enslaved on the Custis-Lee plantation in 1843 and spent his entire life living and working on the Arlington property.

What are the three requirements to be buried at Arlington Cemetery?

Soldiers who die while on active duty, retired members of the Armed Forces, and certain Veterans and Family members are eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Can any soldier be buried in Arlington?

Eligibility for in-ground burial at Arlington National Cemetery is the most stringent of all U.S. national cemeteries. However, most veterans who have at least one day of active service (other than for training) and an honorable discharge are eligible for above-ground inurnment.

Why is Robert E. Lee buried at Arlington?

In December 1882, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lee's favor. A few months later, in March 1883, the federal government purchased the property from Lee for $150,000. The U.S. Army continued to use the Arlington House property as a burial ground.

Are black soldiers buried at Arlington?

Over sixteen-thousand Civil War soldiers are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Among these are many U.S. Colored Troops (the U.S. government designation for African-Americans who served in segregated U.S. Army regiments during the war) buried in sections 27 and 23.

Who was the original owner of Arlington?

Arlington National Cemetery is built on plantation land that once belonged to George Washington Parke Custis. Custis was the grandson of Martha Washington and the step-grandson of President George Washington.

Can you scatter ashes in Arlington?

Arlington National Cemetery rules regarding cremation ashes

Therefore, keepsake urns with ashes that a family can bring home or the scattering of ashes are not permitted.

Is the wife buried on the right or left of husband?

Typically, the husband is buried on the left, whereas the wife should be on the right, as you're standing at their feet. The position isn't ordinary, and it's the same that couples have while they're getting married. In some cemeteries, the tradition hasn't disappeared, and it's the most common for couples.

Do all Veterans get a military funeral?

Upon the family's request, Public Law 106-65 requires that every eligible Veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony, to include folding and presenting the United States burial flag and the playing of "Taps." The law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military ...