Arlington - Arlington Cemetery

After visiting Mount Vernon we made a stop at Arlington Cemetery. The land that the cemetery is on was owned by Robert E. Lee before the Civil War. During the war his family abandoned the land. The land was confiscated by the Federal government and under the suggestion of Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs it was turned into a burial grounds for soldiers.

Meigs and his son were buried near Arlington House.

Arlington National Cemetery is still an active cemetery. There is limited space in the cemetery and so people have to meet certain qualifications to be buried in the cemetery.

Some of the qualifications consist of:
1. Any active-duty member of the Armed Forces
2. The President of the United States or any former President of the US.
3. Office of the Chief Justice of the United States or of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States.
4. Surviving spouse, minor child, or permanently dependent child of any person already buried
in Arlington National Cemetery.



Within Arlington Cemetery is also the mast of the USS Battleship Maine.











Ms. Edwards and Ms. Wood took the time to locate the burial sites of Supreme Supreme Court Justices.



1. William Howard Taft 7. Arthur Joseph Goldberg
2. Oliver Wendell Holmes 8. Thurgood Marshall
3. Hugo Black 9. Warren Earl Burger
4. Earl Warren 10. William J. Brennan Jr.
5. William O. Douglas 11. Harry Blackmun.
6. Potter Stewart 12. William Rehnquist



On the hillside overlooking the cemetery is the Custis-Lee Mansion. The house was built by George Washington Parke Custis (grandchild of George Washington). Custis and his wife, Mary Lee Fitzhugh are buired near the house. Mary Anna Randolph Custis and her husband Robert E. Lee married and moved into Arlington House. They lived in the house for 30 years. Federal forces took control of the house during the Civil War. The Lee's never lived in the house again.

The house is currently being renovated. Tourist can go in and visit the house.


Also located in Arlington Cemetery is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb was opened to the public in 1932. There is a soldier from each of the following wars represented in the tombs: World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam.

The soldier from the Vietnam war were identified and he was returned home to his family.

The tomb is guarded by members of the U.S. Army. The Old Guard started guarding the tomb in 1948.

Soldiers who guard the tomb walk 21 steps across the Tomb. He carries
his weapon on the shoulder opposite the Tomb. On the 21st step,
the soldier turns and faces the Tomb for 21 seconds. The soldier changes his weapon to the other shoulder and after 21 seconds starts the process again. From March-September the guard is changed every half hour. From October-March the guard is changed ever hour. After the cemetery is closed at night the guards stand guard for two hours.





Among the many memorials that can be found in the cemetery are the memorials to the Space Shuttle Challenger, the Space Shuttle Columbia, and the Iran Rescue Mission Memorial.








Among the many grave sites that can be found at Arlington National Cemetery are those of John F. Kennedy, his wife, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and two of their children. At their grave site is the eternal flame that is supposed to stay lite at all times.







Near the grave of John F. Kennedy is a cross that is the grave of his brother Robert F. Kennedy. He was killed while trying to run for the presidency. His grave is marked by a simple cross because that was his request.