If you have ever been to Arlington, you must have visited the most famous cemetery in the world, Arlington National Cemetery. Covering 624 acres of land, Arlington Cemetery is located in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
Arlington National Cemetery is the resting place for many of America's greatest heroes, including more than 300,000 veterans of every American conflict, from the Civil War to Iraq and Afghanistan.
1970 - Changing of The Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington Cemetery.
Since, its foundation in 1866, Arlington National Cemetery has provided a solemn place for Americans to reflect upon the sacrifices made by these great men and women for this country. It lies on the former grounds of Arlington House, the mansion once owned by George Washington Park Custis, the adopted grandson of President George Custis. In 1864, Arlington House and the land surrounding it was designated as a military cemetery.
The first burial at the Arlington National Cemetery was that of Private William Henry Christman of Pennslyvania, who lies in section 27, lot19.
Arlington National Cemetery is divided into 70 sections with some sections in the southeast and western parts of the cemetery being reserved for future expansion. The largest structure within Arlington National Cemetery is the memorial Amphitheater which is located on Memorial Drive near the center of the grounds. The amphitheater is used for three major ceremonies every year, the services on Easter, Memorial Day, and Veteran Day.
On average there are 28 burials that occur every weekend adding up to approximately 6900 burials each year. The flags at Arlington National Cemetery are flown at half-staff 30 minutes before the first burial until 30 minutes after the last funeral. The eligibility requirement for burial at the Arlington National Cemetery are stricter than any other national cemetery in the United States.
Former president William Taft and John F. Kennedy are buried in sections 30 and section 5 respectively. John F. Kennedy's burial site is the most frequently visited site in the Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington National Cemetery is open for visitation daily between 1stApril to 30th September from 8 am to 7 pm, and from 1st October to 31st March from 8 am to 5 pm.
Charity W. is a professional and skilled writer with a diploma in Mass Communication. When she is not glued to her computer screen, Charity spends her time reading, traveling, and watching movies. She is an expert on Arlington Virginia and keeps current with local events and occurrences.
