Arlington Cemetery

Places to Visit

“John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

Arlington National Cemetery, located in Arlington, Virginia, just past Washington DC, is one of the many most known places to visit in the DC area. With the cemetery still being used today, it has some of the more notable people in our country buried there, along with many other friends and family members. It was established during the Civil War in 1864 on the grounds of Arlington House, the former estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The land was confiscated by the Union Army after Lee’s family abandoned it, and the first military burials took place there in 1864.

Over the years, the cemetery expanded and became the final resting place for soldiers from every U.S. war, as well as prominent figures and civilians, including Presidents John F. Kennedy, William Howard Taft, and others. Today, the cemetery is a national symbol of honor and sacrifice, with over 400,000 graves.

Some notable places to see are the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Arlington House at the top of the hill, and the memorial to the space shuttle Challenger crew.