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National Cemetery Administration

 

National Register of Historic Places and Designated National Historic Landmarks

Historic Resources  /  National Register of Historic Places

Many of the oldest national cemeteries and soldiers lots managed by the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) are recognized as historically significant and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and/or designated as National Historic Landmarks (NHL). Both programs are under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Department of the Interior.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic properties worthy of preservation. Properties listed on the NRHP are significant at the national, state or local level. National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that have been determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture. A nationally significant property is of exceptional value in representing or illustrating an important theme in national history. Listed properties can be related by a shared historic context, such as the "Civil War Era National Cemeteries Multiple Property Submission (MPS)," a group of NCA cemeteries listed in the late 1990s. All NHL properties are also automatically listed on the NRHP.

View of monument in Dayton National Cemetery
View in Dayton National Cemetery, part of the Central Branch National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers National Historic Landmark, designated 2012.

Federal Law

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), as amended, mandates that federal agencies must nominate their historic properties to the NRHP. "Each Federal agency shall establish…a preservation program for the identification, evaluation, and nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, and protection of historic properties. Such program shall ensure—that historic properties under the jurisdiction or control of the agency, are identified, evaluated, and nominated to the National Register," per 16 U.S. Code 470h-2(a)(2).

Treatment

Federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, are responsible per NHPA to take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties eligible for or listed on the NRHP. An undertaking is defined as a project, activity, or program funded in whole or in part under the direct or indirect jurisdiction of a Federal agency, including expenditures, licensing and approvals. Procedures for reviewing undertakings affecting historic properties are addressed principally by Sections 106 and 110(f) of NHPA. Resources designated as National Historic Landmarks require a greater level of preservation diligence, per 36 CFR 65.2.

Education

The Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) program is affiliated with the NRHP. TwHP has developed lesson plans and other guidance using National Register-listed properties to encourage educators, historians, preservationists, site interpreters and others to work together effectively. Some NCA cemeteries are the basis for lesson plans, including Dayton National Cemetery, Ohio, featured in, "A Nation Repays Its Debt: The National Soldiers' Home and Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio."

The NPS Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series highlights thousands of sites nationwide, many listed on the NRHP—bringing them to the attention of anyone interested in learning more about American history, architecture and culture, and encouraging people to visit these important and inspiring places. NCA helped develop two travel itineraries to commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial (2011–2015). One itinerary, "Civil War Era National Cemeteries: Honoring Those Who Served," includes all historic national cemeteries associated with that conflict, and a second itinerary highlights the "Veterans Affairs National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers."

Definitions

National cemetery properties have different physical characteristics based on their origin. During and after the Civil War, the U.S. government interred veterans in designated sections of private or local cemeteries as needed. Some of these "imbedded" lots located within existing burial grounds were later re-designated national cemeteries, while others remained a "soldiers' lot," "government lot," or "monument site." However, most national cemeteries are stand-alone properties.

NCA properties have been nominated to the NRHP as individual properties based on their own merit, but others share an historic context related to the period in which they were developed and later listed as a Multiple Property Submission (MPS; previously Multiple Resource Area (MRA) to the NRHP. For example, listings for the "Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS" encompasses 59 cemeteries NCA nominated to the NRHP throughout the 1990s; the "Inter World War National Cemeteries MPS" and VA's "Second Generation VA Medical Center MPS," which include national cemeteries, are two themes derived from 20th century events. Regardless of historic context, cemeteries in general are "historic districts" because they contain multiple historic resources that are contributing elements to the nomination.

National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Listing

Many of the cemeteries—or monuments within the cemeteries— are included as part of Multiple Property Submissions (MPS), also known as theme studies. While links to the individual nominations are in the table below, the following links will take you to the larger studies:

Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks
Property Name & State Date(s) Listed Nomination Title/Type or Multiple Property Submission (Theme Study), if applicable
Albany Rural Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, NY 10/25/1979 NCA lot included in Albany Rural Cemetery nomination
Alexandria National Cemetery, LA 07/09/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Alexandria National Cemetery, VA 03/02/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Allegheny Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, PA 12/10/1980 NCA lot included in Allegheny Cemetery nomination
Alton National Cemetery, IL 05/05/2011 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Annapolis National Cemetery, MD 06/13/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Ball's Bluff National Cemetery, VA 04/27/1984 Ball's Bluff Battlefield Historic District and National Cemetery National Historic Landmark

NOTE: File is restricted and therefore not available online.

See also Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Baltimore National Cemetery, MD 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1936 MPS
Barrancas National Cemetery, FL 02/12/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Bath National Cemetery, NY 01/23/2013 Included in New York State Soldiers' and Sailors' Home / Bath Veterans Administration Center Historic District nomination
Baton Rouge National Cemetery, LA 07/09/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Bay Pines National Cemetery, FL 06/27/2012 Included in Bay Pines Veterans Administration Home and Hospital Historic District nomination (United States Second Generation Veterans Hospitals MPS)
Beaufort National Cemetery, SC 10/10/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Beverly National Cemetery, NJ 10/15/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Biloxi National Cemetery, MS 02/14/2002 Included in Biloxi Veterans Administration Medical Center nomination
Black Hills National Cemetery, SD 05/17/2016 Individual nomination
Camp Butler National Cemetery, IL 08/15/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, OH 04/11/1973 Included in Camp Chase Site nomination
Camp Nelson National Cemetery, KY 09/03/1998

02/27/2013
Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS

Included in Camp Nelson Historic and Archeological District National Historic Landmark

NOTE: File is restricted and therefore not available online.
Cave Hill National Cemetery, KY

Union Monument
12/11/1979

09/03/1998

07/17/1997
Included in Cave Hill Cemetery nomination

Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS

Part of Civil War Monuments in Kentucky, 1861–1935, MPS
Chattanooga National Cemetery, TN 09/16/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
City Point National Cemetery, VA 08/10/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Cold Harbor National Cemetery, VA 08/10/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Confederate Stockade Cemetery, OH 03/27/1975

06/21/1990
Included in Johnson's Island Civil War Prison and Fort Site

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Congressional Cemetery Government Lots, Washington, D.C. 06/23/1969

06/14/2011
NCA lots included in Congressional Cemetery nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark

(Documentation currently not available on-line)
Corinth National Cemetery, MS 05/06/1991

11/20/1996
Included in Siege and Battle of Corinth National Historic Landmark

Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Crown Hill National Cemetery, IN 02/28/1973

04/29/1999
Included in Crown Hill Cemetery nomination

Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Crown Hill Cemetery Confederate Plot, IN 02/28/1973 Included in Crown Hill Cemetery nomination
Culpeper National Cemetery, VA 02/26/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Cypress Hills National Cemetery, NY 11/13/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Danville National Cemetery, IL 01/30/1992 Included in Danville Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Historic District nomination
Danville National Cemetery, KY 05/29/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Danville National Cemetery, VA 04/07/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Dayton National Cemetery, OH 01/15/2004

10/16/2012
Included in Central Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers District nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Eagle Point National Cemetery, OR 09/13/2016 Individual nomination
Fayetteville National Cemetery, AR 07/28/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Finn's Point National Cemetery, NJ 08/31/1978 Included in Fort Mott and Finns Point National Cemetery District nomination
Florence National Cemetery, SC 01/05/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, WI 11/03/1980 NCA lot included in Forest Home Cemetery and Chapel nomination
Fort Bayard National Cemetery, NM 07/07/2002

04/19/2004
Included in Fort Bayard Historic District nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Fort Bliss National Cemetery, TX 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1936 MPS
Fort Douglas Post Cemetery, UT 06/15/1970

05/15/1975
Included in Fort Douglas nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Fort Gibson National Cemetery, OK 05/20/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Fort Harrison National Cemetery, VA 08/10/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Fort Lawton Post Cemetery, WA 08/15/1978 Included in Fort Lawton nomination
Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, KS 07/15/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Fort Logan National Cemetery, CO 11/29/2016 Individual nomination
Fort Lyon National Cemetery, CO 01/17/2017 Individual nomination
Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, MI 10/09/1960 Included in Mackinac Island National Historic Landmark
Fort McPherson National Cemetery, NE 03/07/2012 Individual nomination
Fort Meade National Cemetery, SD 05/22/1973 Included in Fort Meade District nomination
Fort Missoula Post Cemetery, MT 04/29/1987

02/28/2012
Included in Fort Missoula Historic District nomination

Boundary increase
Fort Richardson National Cemetery, AK 03/07/2012 Individual nomination
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, CA 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939 MPS
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, TX 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939 MPS
Fort Scott National Cemetery, KS 07/15/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Fort Sheridan National Cemetery, IL 09/29/1980

04/20/1984
Included in Fort Sheridan Historic District nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Fort Smith National Cemetery, AR 05/20/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Fort Snelling National Cemetery, MN 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939 MPS
Glendale National Cemetery, VA 02/26/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Golden Gate National Cemetery, CA 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939 MPS
Grafton National Cemetery, WV 02/19/1982 Individual nomination

See also Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Hampton National Cemetery, VA 02/26/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Hot Springs National Cemetery, SD 06/17/2011 Included in Battle Mountain Sanitarium, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers National Historic Landmark
Houston National Cemetery, TX 02/28/2017 Individual nomination
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, MO 07/09/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Jefferson City National Cemetery, MO 10/01/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Keokuk National Cemetery, IA 06/04/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Knoxville National Cemetery, TN 09/12/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Leavenworth National Cemetery, KS 04/30/1999

06/17/2011
Included in Western Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers District nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Lebanon National Cemetery, KY 06/05/1975 Individual nomination

See also Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Lexington National Cemetery, KY 09/03/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Little Rock National Cemetery, AR

Little Rock Confederate Memorial

Minnesota Monument
12/20/1996

05/03/1996

05/03/1996
Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS

Part of Civil War Commemorative Sculpture in Arkansas, 1886–1934, MPS

Part of Civil War Commemorative Sculpture in Arkansas, 1886–1934, MPS
Long Island National Cemetery, NY 03/08/2016 Part of Inter-World War National Cemeteries, 1934–1939 MPS
Los Angeles National Cemetery, CA 11/19/2014 Included in West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Historic District nomination (United States Second Generation Veterans Hospitals MPS)
Loudon Park National Cemetery, MD 06/20/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Marietta National Cemetery, GA 09/18/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Marion National Cemetery, IN 08/02/1999 Included in Marion Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Historic District nomination
Memphis National Cemetery, TN 10/30/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Mill Springs National Cemetery, KY 05/29/1998 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Mobile National Cemetery, AL 06/13/1986 Included in Magnolia Cemetery nomination

See also Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Mound City National Cemetery, IL 10/08/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Mountain Home National Cemetery, TN 06/17/2011 Included in Mountain Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers National Historic Landmark

(Documentation currently not available on-line)
Nashville National Cemetery, TN 12/20/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, HI 01/11/1976

Updated 06/18/2014
Individual nomination

Additional documentation
Natchez National Cemetery, MS 10/24/1980

11/22/1999
Included in Cemetery Bluff District nomination

Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
New Albany National Cemetery, IN 06/25/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
New Bern National Cemetery, NC 01/31/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Philadelphia National Cemetery, PA 07/24/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Port Hudson National Cemetery, LA 05/20/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS

Also, the cemetery is located within the boundaries of Port Hudson National Historic Landmark
Prescott National Cemetery, AZ 10/29/1999 Included in Fort Whipple - Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Historic District nomination
Puerto Rico National Cemetery, Puerto Rico 09/26/1983 Individual nomination
Quincy National Cemetery, IL 05/07/2011 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Raleigh National Cemetery, NC 01/31/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Richmond National Cemetery, VA 10/26/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Rock Island National Cemetery, IL 09/30/1969

06/13/1997
Included in Rock Island Arsenal nomination

Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Rock Island Confederate Cemetery, IL 09/30/1969 Included in Rock Island Arsenal nomination
Roseburg National Cemetery, OR 01/29/2013 Included in Roseburg Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District nomination (United States Second Generation Veterans Hospitals MPS)
St. Augustine National Cemetery, FL 05/16/2016 Individual nomination
Salisbury National Cemetery, NC 04/12/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
San Antonio National Cemetery, TX 11/22/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
San Francisco (Presidio) National Cemetery, CA 06/13/1962

10/15/1966
Included in Presidio of San Francisco nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Santa Fe National Cemetery, NM 07/23/1973

09/06/2016
Some sections included in Santa Fe Historic District

Individual nomination
Seven Pines National Cemetery, VA 10/26/1995 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Sitka National Cemetery, AK 03/07/2012 Individual nomination
Springfield National Cemetery, MO 08/27/1999 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Staunton National Cemetery, VA 02/26/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Togus National Cemetery, ME 10/03/2012 Included in Togus VA Medical Center and National Cemetery District nomination
Willamette National Cemetery, OR 07/05/2016 Individual nomination
Wilmington National Cemetery, NC 01/31/1997 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Winchester National Cemetery, VA 02/26/1996 Part of Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS
Wood National Cemetery, WI 06/03/2005

06/17/2011
Included in Northwestern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Historic District nomination

Designated a National Historic Landmark
Woodlawn National Cemetery, NY 10/06/2004 Included in Woodlawn Cemetery nomination
Woodland Cemetery Soldiers' Lot, OH 06/04/1986 NCA lots (2) included in Woodland Cemetery nomination
Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, KY 11/03/1983 Part of Jefferson County, Kentucky, Multiple Resource Area