During the American Civil War as the number of dead infantrymen on both sides multiplied, it became apparent that there was a need for burial places for these service members. In 1862, the United States Congress passed an act that granted the creation of national cemeteries. By the end of 1862, 14 national cemeteries had been established.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How Many National Cemeteries Are There?
- National Cemeteries in the Northeastern US
- National Cemeteries in the Midwestern US
- National Cemeteries in the Southern US
- National Cemeteries in the Western US
- National Cemeteries in US Territories
Over time, that number has grown as more service members die of old age or on the battlefield. New cemeteries are built as pre-existing ones fill up.
Any armed forces members who die in active duty are eligible to be buried in a national cemetery. Additionally, veterans who served a certain length of time and were discharged under any circumstances besides dishonorable may be buried in national cemeteries. Spouses and minor children may also be buried alongside a veteran or service member. Here is a list of every national cemetery and where to find them.
How Many National Cemeteries Are There?
So far, 141 national cemeteries exist throughout the United States. These cemeteries (along with 33 soldiers’ lots and monument states) can be found in 40 states. One national cemetery can also be found in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
The most famous national cemetery in Arlington, Virginia is run by the U.S. Department of the Army, and within it, the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery.
Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for notable members of the Kennedy family, including President John F. Kennedy, and his brothers Bobby and Ted Kennedy.
National Cemeteries in the Northeastern US
The northeastern area of the United States is home to 28 national cemeteries and soldiers’ lots in seven states. It is also home to one additional national cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Maine
- Togus National Cemetery: Togus
- Mount Pleasant Cemetery Soldier’s Lot: Augusta
Maryland
- Annapolis National Cemetery: Annapolis
- Baltimore National Cemetery: Baltimore
- Loudon Park National Cemetery: Baltimore
- Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery: Point Lookout Ridge
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts National Cemetery: Bourne
- Woodlawn Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Ayer
New Jersey
- Beverly National Cemetery: Beverly
- Finn’s Point National Cemetery: Pennsville
New York
- Bath National Cemetery: Bath
- Calverton National Cemetery: Calverton
- Cypress Hills National Cemetery: Brooklyn
- Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery: Schuylerville
- Long Island National Cemetery: Farmingdale
- Woodlawn National Cemetery: Elmira
- Albany Rural Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Albany
Pennsylvania
- Indiantown Gap National Cemetery: Annville
- National Cemetery of the Alleghenies: Bridgeville
- Philadelphia National Cemetery: Philadelphia
- Washington Crossing National Cemetery: Newtown
- Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Pittsburgh
- Ashland Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Carlisle
- Mount Moriah Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Philadelphia
- Mount Moriah Cemetery Naval Lot: Philadelphia
- Prospect Hill Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: York
Vermont
- Green Mount Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Montpelier
- Prospect Hill Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Brattleboro
Washington, D.C.
- Congressional Cemetery Government Lots: Washington D.C.
National Cemeteries in the Midwestern US
The midwest is home to a multitude of national cemeteries. In just 12 states, you can find 50 national cemeteries, soldiers’ lots and monument sites.
Illinois
- Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery: Elwood
- Alton National Cemetery: Alton
- Camp Butler National Cemetery: Springfield
- Danville National Cemetery: Danville
- Fort Sheridan National Cemetery: Fort Sheridan
- Mound City National Cemetery: Mound City
- Quincy National Cemetery: Quincy
- Rock Island National Cemetery: Rock Island
- Confederate Mound: Chicago
- North Alton Confederate Cemetery: Alton
- Rock Island Confederate Cemetery: Rock Island
Indiana
- Crown Hill National Cemetery: Indianapolis
- Marion National Cemetery: Marion
- New Albany National Cemetery: New Albany
- Crown Hill Cemetery Confederate Plot: Indianapolis
- Woodlawn Monument Site: Terre Haute
Iowa
- Keokuk National Cemetery: Keokuk
- Oakdale Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Davenport
Kansas
- Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery: Fort Leavenworth
- Fort Scott National Cemetery: Fort Scott
- Leavenworth National Cemetery: Leavenworth
- Baxter Springs City Soldiers’ Lot: Baxter Springs
- Mound City Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Mound City
Michigan
- Fort Custer National Cemetery: Augusta
- Great Lakes National Cemetery: Holly
- Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery: Mackinac Island
- Lakeside Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Port Huron
Minnesota
- Fort Snelling National Cemetery: Minneapolis
Missouri
- Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery: St. Louis
- Jefferson City National Cemetery: Jefferson City
- Springfield National Cemetery: Springfield
- Union Confederate Monument Site: Kansas City
Nebraska
- Fort McPherson National Cemetery: Maxwell
- Omaha National Cemetery: Omaha
- Forest Lawn Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Omaha
North Dakota
- Fargo National Cemetery: Harwood
Ohio
- Dayton National Cemetery: Dayton
- Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery: Seville
- Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery: Columbus
- Confederate Stockade Cemetery: Sandusky
- Woodland Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Cleveland
South Dakota
- Black Hills National Cemetery: Sturgis
- Fort Meade National Cemetery: Sturgis
- Hot Springs National Cemetery: Hot Springs
Wisconsin
- Wood National Cemetery: Milwaukee
- Fort Winnebago Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Portage
- Forest Hill Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Madison
- Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Milwaukee
- Fort Crawford Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Prairie du Chien
- Mound Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Racine
National Cemeteries in the Southern US
The southern United States also contains a large number of national cemeteries. In these 14 states, you can find 69 national cemeteries and soldiers’ lots.
Alabama
- Alabama National Cemetery: Montevallo
- Fort Mitchell National Cemetery: Fort Mitchell
- Mobile National Cemetery: Mobile
Arkansas
- Fayetteville National Cemetery: Fayetteville
- Fort Smith National Cemetery: Fort Smith
- Little Rock National Cemetery: Little Rock
Florida
- Barrancas National Cemetery: Pensacola
- Bay Pines National Cemetery: St. Petersburg
- Cape Canaveral National Cemetery: Mims
- Florida National Cemetery: Bushnell
- Jacksonville National Cemetery: Jacksonville
- Sarasota National Cemetery: Sarasota
- South Florida National Cemetery: Lake Worth
- St. Augustine National Cemetery: St. Augustine
- Tallahassee National Cemetery: Tallahassee
Georgia
- Georgia National Cemetery: Canton
- Marietta National Cemetery: Marietta
Kentucky
- Camp Nelson National Cemetery: Nicholasville
- Cave Hill National Cemetery: Louisville
- Danville National Cemetery: Danville
- Lebanon National Cemetery: Lebanon
- Lexington National Cemetery: Lexington
- Mill Springs National Cemetery: Nancy
- Zachary Taylor National Cemetery: Louisville
- Evergreen Cemetery Soldiers’ Lot: Southgate
Louisiana
- Alexandria National Cemetery: Pineville
- Baton Rouge National Cemetery: Baton Rouge
- Louisiana National Cemetery: Zachary
- Port Hudson National Cemetery: Zachary
Mississippi
- Biloxi National Cemetery: Biloxi
- Corinth National Cemetery: Corinth
- Natchez National Cemetery: Natchez
North Carolina
- New Bern National Cemetery: New Bern
- Raleigh National Cemetery: Raleigh
- Salisbury National Cemetery: Salisbury
- Wilmington National Cemetery: Wilmington
Oklahoma
- Fort Gibson National Cemetery: Fort Gibson
- Fort Sill National Cemetery: Elgin
South Carolina
- Beaufort National Cemetery: Beaufort
- Florence National Cemetery: Florence
- Fort Jackson National Cemetery: Columbia
Tennessee
- Chattanooga National Cemetery: Chattanooga
- Knoxville National Cemetery: Knoxville
- Memphis National Cemetery: Memphis
- Mountain Home National Cemetery: Mountain Home
- Nashville National Cemetery: Madison
Texas
- Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery: Dallas
- Fort Bliss National Cemetery: El Paso
- Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery: San Antonio
- Houston National Cemetery: Houston
- Kerrville National Cemetery: Kerrville
- San Antonio National Cemetery: San Antonio
Virginia
- Alexandria National Cemetery: Alexandria
- Ball’s Bluff National Cemetery: Leesburg
- City Point National Cemetery: Hopewell
- Cold Harbor National Cemetery: Mechanicsville
- Culpeper National Cemetery: Culpeper
- Danville National Cemetery: Danville
- Fort Harrison National Cemetery: Richmond
- Glendale National Cemetery: Richmond
- Hampton National Cemetery: Hampton
- Hampton National Cemetery (VAMC): Hampton
- Quantico National Cemetery: Triangle
- Richmond National Cemetery: Richmond
- Seven Pines National Cemetery: Sandston
- Staunton National Cemetery: Staunton
- Winchester National Cemetery: Winchester
West Virginia
- Grafton National Cemetery: Grafton
- West Virginia National Cemetery: Grafton
National Cemeteries in the Western US
Because the western states are more sparsely populated, they don’t have as many national cemeteries as some southern and midwestern states. These ten states have 27 national cemeteries, with a third of them located in California.
Alaska
- Fort Richardson National Cemetery: Fort Richardson
- Sitka National Cemetery: Sitka
Arizona
- National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona: Phoenix
- Prescott National Cemetery: Prescott
California
- Bakersfield National Cemetery: Arvin
- Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery: San Diego
- Golden Gate National Cemetery: San Bruno
- Los Angeles National Cemetery: Los Angeles
- Miramar National Cemetery: San Diego
- Riverside National Cemetery: Riverside
- Sacramento Valley National Cemetery: Dixon
- San Francisco National Cemetery: San Francisco
- San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery: Santa Nella
Colorado
- Fort Logan National Cemetery: Denver
- Fort Lyon National Cemetery: Las Animas
- Pikes Peak National Cemetery: Colorado Springs
Hawaii
- National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific: Honolulu
Montana
- Fort Missoula Post Cemetery: Missoula
- Yellowstone National Cemetery: Laurel
New Mexico
- Fort Bayard National Cemetery: Fort Bayard
- Santa Fe National Cemetery: Santa Fe
Oregon
- Eagle Point National Cemetery: Eagle Point
- Roseburg National Cemetery: Roseburg
- Willamette National Cemetery: Portland
Utah
- Fort Douglas Post Cemetery: Salt Lake City
Washington
- Tahoma National Cemetery: Kent
- Fort Lawton Post Cemetery: Seattle
National Cemeteries in US Territories
While most national cemeteries are located in states, there is one located in the United States territory of Puerto Rico as well.
Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico National Cemetery: Bayamon
National Cemeteries and Their Locations Throughout the United States
There are all kinds of burial traditions associated with the military. From leaving coins on graves to holding burials at sea, there are a number of ways to honor veterans. And many rituals for laying them to rest.
Perhaps the most traditional way to bury a veteran or military member is to have them interred in a national cemetery. Burials are done with usually no cost to family members. These burials include a headstone, burial flag, Presidential Memorial Certificate, and the opening and closing of the gravesite.
Perhaps more importantly though, a grave in a national cemetery is cared for in perpetuity. This means your loved one’s final resting place will be protected and maintained indefinitely. You can rest ready knowing your loved one will be cared for, always.
Sources
- “National Cemetery Listing.” Cem.va.gov, National Cemetery Administration, 18 April 2019, www.cem.va.gov/cems/allnational.asp.
- “National Cemeteries.” Miltary.com Military.com, 2 May 2019, www.military.com/benefits/burial-and-memorial/national-cemeteries.html.
- “FAQs - National Cemetery Administration.” Cem.va.gov, National Cemetery Administration, 6 January 2020, www.cem.va.gov/cem/faq.asp.