Wednesday December 17, 2008
Presidential Gravesites
Four of the first five U.S. presidents made Virginia their home, and eight U.S. Presidents are buried in the Washington, DC area or within a few hours' drive of the capital. Listed below are the sites of presidential graves in the area.
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, VA |
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The somber sight of hundreds and hundreds of white crosses lined up across a green lawn is a striking visual and brings into sharper focus the debt of gratitude owed to our nation's military heroes. It’s no surprise that it’s called “our nation’s most hallowed ground.” Final resting place of two U.S. Presidents, John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft, as well as thousands of American servicemen and women. The Changing of the Guard occurs on the hour each hour October through March, then occurs every half-hour April through September. Tour bus services operate throughout the day; tickets can be purchased at the cemetery. |
Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home) |
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Estate and burial place of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third President of the United States. Located in Albemarle County, Virginia, approximately two hours from Washington, DC; near Ash Lawn-Highland and Montpelier. |
Montpelier (James Madison's home) 9:30am-5:30pm April-October; 9:30am-4:30pm November-March; Closed Thanksgiving and December 25 |
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Home of James Madison, 4th President of the United States and the Father of the Constitution. Located about two hours southwest of Washington, DC, in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, James Madison was raised at Montpelier and lived here for his entire life except during his presidency. His gravesite is also located on the estate grounds. |
Mount Vernon (George Washington's home) |
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Home and final resting place of America's 1st President, George Washington. During the time that Washington lived here (more than 45 years), Mount Vernon was an 8,000-acre plantation, which was divided into five farms; each was a complete unit. The farm where Washington and his family lived was called the "Mansion House Farm," and is the part of the plantation that we refer to today as "Mount Vernon." Washington inherited the property from his older half-brother, who named the property in honor of his commanding officer, Admiral Edward Vernon of the British navy. |
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(804) 648-8501 412 South Cherry Street, Richmond, VA 23220 8am-5pm daily; 8am-6pm during Daylight Saving Time No admission charged |
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Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, is the burial site for two U.S. Presidents: James Monroe, our 5th President who also served as Governor of Virginia; and John Tyler, who was our 10th President. The cemetery is the burial site for many other well-known historic figures including Jefferson Davis, William Burke and James Thomas, Jr. |
Washington National Cathedral 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016 |
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The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul took 83 years to build. It has been the site of a number of Presidential funerals, with more than 150 people interred (including Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson). Although the word “national” is in its title, the cathedral is not funded by any public monies. It was built with private funds and operated today through donations, gifts and revenue from its shops and other endeavors. |
