Congressional Cemetery Government Lots

Congressional Cemetery Government Lots is a VA national cemetery in Washington, District of Columbia. VA lists it as closed to new burials. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Congressional Cemetery Government Lots

Established in 1807, Congressional Cemetery is located in the southeast quadrant of Washington, D.C., overlooking the Anacostia River. The National Cemetery Administration has jurisdiction over 806 burial plots located throughout the larger cemetery, including some of the oldest and most significant historic resources maintained by the agency.

The original 4.5 acres of Congressional Cemetery was purchased by a group of Washingtonians for a private burial ground. On July 19, 1807, Uriah Tracy of Connecticut became the first congressman buried in the cemetery. In 1812 the group deeded the cemetery to Christ Church as The Washington Parish Burial Ground. Five years later, Christ Church set aside 100 burial lots for members of Congress who died in Washington. From this time forward, the nickname Congressional Cemetery has been used, although in 1849 the official name was changed to Washington Cemetery.

By the 1820s, Congressional Cemetery was the traditional burial site of senators, congressmen, and other high-ranking federal officials who died in Washington. In 1823, the church donated an additional 300 gravesites for congressional use, and in 1834 Congress appropriated funds for the erection of a keepers house, planting trees, and placing boundary stones. Since 1849, the piecemeal expansion of additional ground led to its present size of approximately 30 acres.

In 1953, the cenotaphs were among the 806 gravesites (about 350 burials), collectively occupying about a half-acre, that became federal property through a land swap between the U.S. Army and the cemetery; in turn, these were transferred to VA in 1973 along with most of the country's national cemeteries.

The National Cemetery Administration is the steward of the most significant collective structures in the cemetery; the unique cenotaphs designed by America's first professional architect, Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764–1820). Fabricated from Aquia Creek sandstone, the monuments are carved in blocks with a squat base and a conical cap. The inscriptions are on small marble panels affixed to the block. Latrobe's design, characterized by clean, straight lines and a lack of ornamentation, was quite distinct from the typical grave markers of the period, and foreshadowed modern architecture by almost a century. For a period of time, the cenotaphs were whitewashed.

The term cenotaph is defined as a tomb or monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere. The original cenotaphs did not remain true to this term, as they mark the burials of senators and congressmen. The date of the first cenotaph installation in Congressional Cemetery is unknown. Latrobe's earliest sketch dates to 1812, but it is unclear if any cenotaphs were extant at this time.

For many years, congressman and senators who died locally were buried under cenotaphs in Congressional Cemetery. This was largely attributable to the significant cost of transporting the deceased back to their home districts, and to the lack of modern embalming techniques. After 1835, interments of non-local federal officials in the cemetery began to wane, and by the 1855 this practice essentially stopped.

Despite the change in tradition, monuments continued to be erected in the cemetery, honoring congressmen who died in office and were interred in other cemeteries. These cenotaphs are not distinguished from the true burial markers. Reportedly, the installation of cenotaphs ceased in 1876 when Congressman George Frisbie Hoar of Massachusetts caustically remarked that "being buried beneath one would add new terrors to death...I cannot conceive of an uglier shape to be made out of granite or marble than those cenotaphs now there."

Of the 169 cenotaphs at Congressional Cemetery, 113 remain true to the term, honoring those who are interred elsewhere. The identical design was used for 56 monuments erected as grave markers.

In 2007–2008, VA completed a comprehensive project to repair and restore 166 cenotaphs through a partnership in which National Park Service preservation specialists utilized traditional masonry techniques. Material was salvaged from cenotaph components and new Aquia Creek stone came from a stockpile leftover from a 1950s renovation of the U.S. Capitol, and other types of stone compatible in color and texture was introduced. In all, 42 capstones, 27 die blocks, and 28 bases were replaced. The project was awarded the 2009 District of Columbia Mayor's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.

Congressional Cemetery, including the lots administered by the National Cemetery Administration, was listed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1969, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2011.

Monuments and Memorials The U.S. Arsenal Monument honors the women who died in an explosion at the Washington Arsenal on June 17, 1864. The tragedy resulted from the accidental ignition of fireworks stored in a lot next to the Arsenal Building at 4-1/2 Half St., SW. Lit by the summer heat, sparks from the fireworks blew into the arsenal as 108 women were making gunpowder cartridges, causing an explosion which killed 21. The memorial was erected on the first anniversary of the fire. The marble and granite structure was produced by sculptor Lot Flannery of the Flannery Brothers Marble Manufacturers, and rises to about 25 feet tall. A small, allegorical female figure symbolizing Grief sits atop a shaft, which is inscribed with the names of the women who perished.

Notable interments

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note buried at Congressional Cemetery Government Lots, with section and site where recorded.

Directions

From the Baltimore National Cemetery, take I-95 South to I-495 South (Richmond) to I-295 Baltimore Washington Parkway to Capitol Road (RFK Stadium Exit) to 17th Street and turn left. Travel approximately one mile, turn left and cemetery will be on the right.

Flowers and grounds rules

This floral policy applies only to the government lots in the cemetery which are marked with a small blue PVC cap adjacent to the headstone, marker or monument.

The placement of floral items on government lots is subject to the following conditions:

Education and visiting programs

More than half of VA's national cemeteries originated with the Civil War and many are closed to some burials. Other sites were established to serve World War veterans and they continue to expand. Historic themes related with NCA's cemeteries and soldiers' lots vary, but visitors should understand "Why is it here?" NCA began by installing interpretive signs, or waysides, at more than 100 properties to observe the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011–2015). Please follow the links below to see the interpretive signs for Congressional Cemetery Government Lots.

A National Cemetery System Congressional Cemetery Government Lots

Who can be buried at Congressional Cemetery Government Lots?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

• A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government-provided burial liner
• A government-provided headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Congressional Cemetery Government Lots?

1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Congressional Cemetery Government Lots and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

VA lists Congressional Cemetery Government Lots as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Congressional Cemetery Government Lots burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Congressional Cemetery Government Lots to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Congressional Cemetery Government Lots directly at 410-644-9696.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

• Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
• Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
• Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under District of Columbia law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in District of Columbia and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Congressional Cemetery Government Lots, by straight-line distance:

• Alexandria National Cemetery, Alexandria, VA: 7 mi, closed to new in-ground burials
• Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery, Cheltenham, MD: 13 mi, open for burials
• Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville, MD: 24 mi, open for burials